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Home My WebLink AboutADMIN 38-86 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE 1 s REPORT File #_Res. # - -�' By-Law # MEETING: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE DATE: MAY 20 1986 REPORT #: ADMIN. 38-86 FILE #: SUBJECT: Review of implications to a name change from The Town of Newcastle to The Town of Bowmanville RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1 . That Administrator's report ADMIN. 38 - 86 be received for information BACKGROUND AND COMMENT: At the evening Council meeting of April 28th 1986, The Chief Administrative Officer was asked to report on a previous resolution passed in June of 1983. Resolution C-492-83 appears to be the resolution that was referenced. The resolution reads as follows: Moved by Councillor Hobbs, seconded by Councillor Hamre That Mr. Strike's presentation on behalf of Mr. James be acknowledged and the request be referred to staff and the Mayor to report back to Committee with a recommendation on the implications of a name change from Town of Newcastle to Town of Bowmanville. At the June 28th 1983 Council meeting, presentation was made by Mr. Strike suggesting that the Town of Newcastle's name be changed to Town of Bowmanville. In conjunction with this presentation, a petition was provided as an expression of the interest in having the name changed. A summary of the results of this survey is attached for Council 's information. I have also attached a letter from the Post Master in the former Village of Newcastle, which I believe relates to the petition. i ADMIN. 38 - 86 -2- As part of gathering background information, staff contacted Ministry of Municipal Affairs officials with respect to the technical considerations of the name change. If the name of the Town of Newcastle were to be changed it would require a government bill amending the Regional Municipality of Durham Act. The amendment would simply change the references in the Act to whatever name was chosen. Perhaps of interest to Council would be a 1982 amendment to the Regional Municipality of Durham Act. Under this amendment it is possible for a local municipality to apply to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to alter the name of a municipality if the status of the municipality is changing, i .e. moving from Town status to City status. If the Town were interested in changing status, then it would simply require an application to the Ministry. Thereafter the Ministry would have to sponsor an amendment to change the references in the Regional Municipality of Durham Act from the Town of Newcastle to the name selected. Again, from a technical point of view, a name change would have some implications with respect to materials already produced. For example, if the name was changed the promotional material , corporate seals, letterhead, highway signage and advertising on Preston 's moving and storage van should be changed. In addition, all of the vehicle signage would have to be changed together with all reference to Newcastle on municipally owned and operated buildings. Exclusive of provincial costs for highway signage, changes, it is estimated that costs would be somewhere in the order of $10,000 - $20,000 to change the Town 's name. During earlier industrial tours, some manufacturers have pointed out the difficulties associated with the Town's current name and confusion that has occurred from time to time with packages being sent to the Village of Newcastle as opposed to a more proper address. This confusion is perhaps compounded by the treatment of the Town of Newcastle in ADMIN. 38 - 86 -3- such publications as the Bell Telephone directory. If, as suggested in the Industrial Development Strategy, all of the hamlets and urban areas of the Town of Newcastle were listed in one section of the telephone book in alphabetic order, it would be assistance to business interests. The motion as originally written asked both the Mayor and staff to review the implications of the name change from the Town of Newcastle to the Town of Bowmanville. It would be . inappropriate for staff to comment on the political implications that may or may not result as a consequence to a name change. However, Council no doubt will have to consider such consequences carefully. Respectfully, submitted, David S. Johnston, M.C.I.P. , Chief Administrative Officer June 27th , 1983 . HIS Worship Mayor Rickard and Members of Council of the Town of Newcastle. Your Worship and Councillors : Re : Proposed Change of Name from Town of Newcastle to Town of Bowmanville Please accept this letter as a formal request to consider changing the name of the Town of Newcastle to the Town of Bowmanville . i As you are aware there has been a questionnaire published in The Canadian Statesman and The Newcastle Independent in two issues in May of 1983 in the words -- "ARE YOU IN FAVOUR OF THE MUNICIPALITY NAME TOWN OF NEWCASTLE , BEING CHANGED TO : TOWN OF BOWMANVILLE? YES [ ] NO [ ] The response I have received through the mail or by delivery to my office has been as follows : YES NO (a) outside Bowmanville but within the limits of the Town of Newcastle 331 89 (b) outside the limits of the Town of Newcastle 69 1 (c ) within the limits of the old Town of Bowmanville 1 , 558 5 TOTAL QUESTIONNAIRES RETURNED 1 , 958 95 (total 1 , 958 + 95 = 2 , 053) In support of an application to change the name to Bowmanville, we submit the following: 1 . NAME CONFUSION caused by the existence of the Village of Newcastle and the Town of Newcastle as a municipality and the former Town of Bowmanville where over 13 , 000 inhabitants reside. I . . . . . . . . . Olt His Worship Mayor Rickard and Members of Council June 27th, 1983 . (a) Business Addresses -- with the majority of businesses in the Town of Newcastle being situated in Bowmanville and there often being the "legal requirement" of referring to the Town of Newcastle , substantial confusion results . I attach a co$y/ i'romerWorld Records to Mayor Rickard dated March 8th, 1983 . (b) Public Signs on Highways and other places with there being a Village of Newcastle, signs referring to the Town of Newcastle have caused considerable confusion in the minds of travellers and the public generally. If signs were to read " Town of Bowmanville" the confusion would not be nearly so great as a reference to the larger Town of Bowmanville the example of Whitby and Oshawa would be relevant . (c) Addresses on Mails substantial confusion has resulted in "Bowmanville" mail going to Newcastle as evidenced by the letter of Charles Gray, the Postmaster in Newcastle, a copy of which is attached . 2 . 125 YEARS OF BOWMANVILLE is being celebrated this year and it has been realized that Bowmanville no longer exists as a municipality. This has probably caused the substantial response of over 2 , 000 to the questionnaire . 3 . BOWMANVILLE IS THE LARGEST AREA on a population basis within the limits of the Town of Newcastle having a population of approximately 13 , 000 out of 33 , 000 people . 4. THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM ACT passed initially in 1973 did in several instances continue the names of larger existing municipalities in expanded municipal areas : (a) Oshawa incorporated Oshawa and East Whitby Township . (b) Ajax incorporated Ajax, Pickering Village and part of the Township of Pickering. (c) Whitby had recently taken in the Village of Brooklin and the Town of Whitby. (d ) Brock Township incorporated the Village of Beaverton and Cannington and the Township of Thorah . ( e) Uxbridge Township incorporated the Town of Uxbridge and the Township of Scott . 5 . THERE HAS BEEN NO EXTENSIVE CAMPAIGN to publicize the questionnaire and promote the change of name from Newcastle to Bowmanville and there were no private solicitations save 2 or 3 individuals who brought in approximately 300 signed questionnaires . The balance of the questionnaires were received in the mail with a 320 stamp attached or persons took the trouble to drop them into my office . His Worship Mayor Rickard and Members of Council June 27th , 1983 . I respectfully request the Council of the Town of Newcastle to consider the initiating of an amendment to The Regional Municipality of Durham Act whereby the name of the Town of Newcastle would be changed to the Town of Bowmanville by referring the matter to staff and a Committee of Council to explore possible administrative and legal problems , a possible plebiscite at the next election, the costs involved , and any other aspects of the matter it deems relevant . I would be pleased to meet further with Council or a Committee thereof at its convenience to discuss this matter further. Yours very truly, G Encls . ZN John M. James . I I n l 4' 412- �j t:i�,:/-Pic. .� "✓ ��/�G c_.-:,-._�G` �� - �—i'"�"—<— �✓Y" �� L A✓ C�- Lk L � t