The federal government has no intention of changing the name of Vancouver’s iconic Stanley Park, cabinet minister Stockwell Day told reporters Monday.
“Stanley Park is a park that’s rich in history, and rich in heritage,” said Mr. Day, adding that the park was known and loved to people from B.C. and around the world.
“It was designated as a park well over a hundred years ago by the governor-general of the day, Lord Stanley. And it is our intention to maintain the name as Stanley Park, respecting and reflecting on a wonderful heritage going back for hundreds and hundreds of years – our aboriginal peoples and those immigrants who settled here later and have continued to enjoy the park.”
At the opening of an aboriginal-themed village site in Stanley Park last month, a native elder suggested renaming the park Xwayxway – pronounced kwhy-kway – which was the name of a native village at the current site of Lumberman’s Arch in the northeastern part of the park.
The concept garnered some support, with some politicians suggesting the park could be known by both names. Ian Campbell, a hereditary chief and councillor with the Squamish First Nation, said he would pursue a formal proposal. And tourism groups said it would be possible to build marketing plans around the new name.
No name change for Stanley Park: Stockwell Day - The Globe and Mail
“Stanley Park is a park that’s rich in history, and rich in heritage,” said Mr. Day, adding that the park was known and loved to people from B.C. and around the world.
“It was designated as a park well over a hundred years ago by the governor-general of the day, Lord Stanley. And it is our intention to maintain the name as Stanley Park, respecting and reflecting on a wonderful heritage going back for hundreds and hundreds of years – our aboriginal peoples and those immigrants who settled here later and have continued to enjoy the park.”
At the opening of an aboriginal-themed village site in Stanley Park last month, a native elder suggested renaming the park Xwayxway – pronounced kwhy-kway – which was the name of a native village at the current site of Lumberman’s Arch in the northeastern part of the park.
The concept garnered some support, with some politicians suggesting the park could be known by both names. Ian Campbell, a hereditary chief and councillor with the Squamish First Nation, said he would pursue a formal proposal. And tourism groups said it would be possible to build marketing plans around the new name.
No name change for Stanley Park: Stockwell Day - The Globe and Mail