We, the undersigned, respectfully petition Halifax Regional Council to reject the proposed renaming of Lynwood Drive in Halifax (Rockingham/Sherwood Park area).

The Civic Addressing Public Safety Committee (CAPS) has recommended renaming our street to address name duplication within HRM. HRM’s stated reason is that our Lynwood Drive has “the fewest homes” and changing it would “minimize the number of households affected.”

However, this reasoning is flawed and unfair:

Historic Significance: Lynwood Drive in Halifax has existed since the 1950s and is part of our community’s identity.

Viable Alternative: Lynwood Drive in Dartmouth is almost the same size but was only developed in the 1990s. Renaming the newer street would cause similar disruption while preserving Halifax’s historic street.

Minimal Safety Risk: Our small street is well known to emergency responders and has not been the source of confusion locally.
We support public safety improvements, but these goals can be achieved without erasing a historic street name.

Personally, my family and others have been on this street for over 60 years. It is deeply engraved in my communities identity and personal narratives. Even those who have moved away carry the name with them in various forms. This is more than just a street, it is the Canadian birthplace for a group who were historically marginalized and used as a place to call home. 

We urge Regional Council to protect the heritage and identity of Lynwood Drive, Halifax and direct Civic Addressing staff to resolve the duplication issue by renaming one of the newer Lynwood streets instead.