Chief William Commanda Bridge (Prince of Wales Bridge) | Closed for Winter

[passwordisnt123]

I don't know if I will ever get tired of watching people cry over the hurt feelings of rich white British aristrocrats having their names removed from things. It's right up there with people doing mental gymnastics about how "history is being erased" because a derelect bridge's name got changed. Yes this one move has erased the House of Windsor from Canada's history. *eye roll*. Get a grip.

On both levels I'm enjoying the news. It's completely trivial and meaningless and totally entertaining to watch the "change is scary" crowd squirm. Keep it coming!

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by DarkArconio

I agree there is value in continuing to honour those our society has chosen to honour in the past. I just also happen to think we have very many things named after members of the royal family, and it might make sense to spread the honour around to other deserving contributors to society. Not every renaming is erasure. Keeping Prince of Wales drive but renaming this bridge seems eminently reasonable.

Prince of Wales Drive is named after someone different from Prince of Wales Bridge.

Why can't we rename something that didn't commemorate someone in the first place? There are countless meaninglessly named locations in this city.

I am getting tired of this recent trend to push for name changes for anyone not meeting 21st century standards, or worse, someone too dead to complain.

We like erasing history, just like we demolish historic buildings because we can't be bothered to maintain them.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

There's all kinds of potential symbolism here (erasing the name of the Crown, just like the Crown erased indigenous rights during colonization, etc), which I'm not commenting on. I'm just against renaming things in general, unless there's an overwhelming reason to do so, because it's changing history.

In highly related news, Langevin Avenue in Vanier is about to be renamed Commanda Way. In this case the name being replaced is intrinsically linked to the creation of the residential school system. Langevin's erasure is being generally viewed as a positive thing.

This street renaming, however, falls within the purview of the City of Ottawa, unlike the POW Bridge, which is federal jurisdiction and beyond Watson's reach. But that's never stopped Jimbo from sticking his nose into federal business before. Ah... politics!

Good to know. This will be documented in my history of street names.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Prince of Wales Drive is named after someone different from Prince of Wales Bridge.

Why can't we rename something that didn't commemorate someone in the first place? There are countless meaninglessly named locations in this city.

I am getting tired of this recent trend to push for name changes for anyone not meeting 21st century standards, or worse, someone too dead to complain.

We like erasing history, just like we demolish historic buildings because we can't be bothered to maintain them.

According to Wikipedia (that's the best source I can find), the PoW bridge is named for Edward VII and PoW Drive is named for a Drive in London which itself is named for Edward VII. So yeah, named for the same guy.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I don't really care about the Prince of Wales and his name being on stuff, but did Mr. Commanda have a relationship to the city of Ottawa? I know he is from Kitizan Zibi near Maniwaki.

Yes, he did. He received the Key to the City, an honorary degree from uOttawa, performed the ceremonial blessing of the Human Rights monument and plenty more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Commanda

[acottawa]

The bridge was built in the late 19th century, its name is a product of its time just as nearly everything we have that is named is a product of its time.

What happens in a few years when indigenous issues aren’t trendy anymore? Do we have to rename it again?

If the mayor wants to name something after Commanda it should be something new (the pathway crossing the bridge would be an obvious solution.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Yes, he did. He received the Key to the City, an honorary degree from uOttawa, performed the ceremonial blessing of the Human Rights monument and plenty more.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Commanda

Great. Thanks for sharing that.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

Prince of Wales Drive is named after someone different from Prince of Wales Bridge.

Why can't we rename something that didn't commemorate someone in the first place? There are countless meaninglessly named locations in this city.

I am getting tired of this recent trend to push for name changes for anyone not meeting 21st century standards, or worse, someone too dead to complain.

We like erasing history, just like we demolish historic buildings because we can't be bothered to maintain them.

Though William Commanda Bridge wouldn't be a meaningless name like the "Rocky Shore River View Bridge" would be.

[Capital613]

Could we stop living in the past? Lets name it the jim watson bridge 🤣🤣🤣

[acottawa]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

According to Wikipedia (that's the best source I can find), the PoW bridge is named for Edward VII and PoW Drive is named for a Drive in London which itself is named for Edward VII. So yeah, named for the same guy.

Weird they would name it after a random street in London and not the actual Prince of Wales (if there was one, I have no idea of the era of that street).

[JHikka]

I'd rather things be named after places or locations instead of after people but I don't mind PoW being renamed in this case, even if Watson lacks the power to do so himself.

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by J.OT13

According to Wikipedia (that's the best source I can find), the PoW bridge is named for Edward VII and PoW Drive is named for a Drive in London which itself is named for Edward VII. So yeah, named for the same guy.

This is incorrect. Prince of Wales Drive is named for the future King Edward VIII in 1920. Here is the 1920 news clipping. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6867...d-falls-named/

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by acottawa

The bridge was built in the late 19th century, its name is a product of its time just as nearly everything we have that is named is a product of its time.

What happens in a few years when indigenous issues aren’t trendy anymore? Do we have to rename it again?

If the mayor wants to name something after Commanda it should be something new (the pathway crossing the bridge would be an obvious solution.

Truly spoken with wisdom.

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

This is incorrect. Prince of Wales Drive is named for the future King Edward VIII in 1920. Here is the 1920 news clipping. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6867...d-falls-named/

Thanks for this. You should update the Wikipedia and include the source.

[acottawa]

Just to.note, we have planets named after Roman Gods, days named after Norse Gods (Roman Gods in French) months named after Roman Emperors, Gods or numbers. A country named after an Iroquois village, a continent named after some Italian dude. There is something to be said for continuity.

[TransitZilla]

Originally Posted by rocketphish

Nope... I can't get behind this at all. What a slap in the face to the Prince of Wales! What heinous act did he ever perpetrate to merit being erased from history like that?

LOL. He's been dead for 110 years, so I'm sure he won't be too offended. We still have King Edward Ave named after him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VII

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I'd rather things be named after places or locations instead of after people but I don't mind PoW being renamed in this case, even if Watson lacks the power to do so himself.

So you wouldn't mind something like the "Rocky Shore River View Bridge"?

[Acajack]

Anyone remember when the Calgary airport was going to be renamed the:

Stephen
Harper
International
Terminal

??

[PHrenetic]

Good Day.

It took me a bit to find it again, but here it be...... a commentary on the history of the naming of the PoW bridge.
Talk about politics....... a (usual) prime example of the mis-use of the privilege !

Boswell: Ottawa should name the refurbished Prince of Wales crossing after an Indigenous bridge-builder
The legacy of Chief William Commanda is particularly compelling: human rights advocate, peace and environmental activist, spiritual leader, visionary unifier of Indigenous peoples of the vast Ottawa River watershed and the world far beyond.

Author of the article: Randy Boswell - Ottawa Citizen - Publishing date: Dec 28, 2020

The critical point :

The crossing, built in 1879-80, was originally known as the Chaudière Railway Bridge. But after it had already been in use for three months, the bridge was hastily renamed after Queen Victoria’s eldest son (and successor) in what appears to have been a strategic rebranding effort when the project was engulfed in scandal over illegal underbidding by a U.S.-based steel supplier.

The Globe newspaper’s March 1881 scoop about the renaming — “The bridge has now been christened the ‘Prince of Wales Bridge’ … ” — was casually reported between revelations of a $16,000 fine imposed on a Pennsylvania steel company “for undervaluation and short weight,” and that “great pressure is being used to induce the Government” (of Sir John A. Macdonald, as it happens) to forgive the penalty.

Nothing like the veneer of a royal appellation to cover a tainted construction contract.

https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/bo...bridge-builder

and the follow-up :

Watson looks to rename Prince of Wales Bridge after Algonquin leader
Mayor wants decommissioned rail crossing called Chief William Commanda Bridge as step toward reconciliation

Author of the article: Laura Glowacki - CBC News · Posted: Jan 28, 2021

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...idge-1.5890658

So...... as noted before, rewriting history gets to be a slippery slope.
But, sometimes, there is not only no reason against it, but fair reason for it.

IMHO this one stands up to the reasonableness test. (Jimbo notwithstanding).

As a side issue...... Jimbo better remember not to loose the tracks on the bridge - ie: plate around and/or over them, but DO NOT REMOVE them !!!

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

So you wouldn't mind something like the "Rocky Shore River View Bridge"?

Sure. Beats naming it after some random person most of us have never heard of or care about, and might even encourage us to get more creative with placenames. Sorry, Bayview.