Eganville – There will be no more Harry Dick Road in Bonnechere Valley Township because the sign is just too tempting for pranksters to steal.
“We concreted the footing of the pole. I believe Bill Kenendy (former Works Supervisor) put grease on the pole so you could not climb it. I think our roads department has gone above and beyond,” Mayor Jennifer Murphy said during a committee meeting of council on Tuesday afternoon.
Works Superintendent Jason Zohr told council there is a request to change the name of the road, “as the road sign name is continuously being taken and costing the municipality each time the sign is removed.”
The road is named after a local resident and Mr. Zohr said he has been in discussion with Mr. Dick’s daughter-in-law and the family concur a name change is now required. He said he would like to allow the residents of the road to present three options for council to consider as a new road name. The new name would be approved at a future date.
Mayor Murphy said she understood the request but cautioned a road name change involves a lot of paperwork on the part of the people who live there as well.
“I am in favour these name changes but they will have to change everything. Their driver’s license. Their health card. Their mailing address. They will have to change things with CRA. It is not as easy as slapping up a sign the county makes for us,” she said. “It will affect the three residents on Harry Dick.”
The mayor said she understood the impetus for the name change.
“I get it – how many times a year do you replace Harry Dick Road – and Hussey – do you ever replace Hussey as well? Of course. It happens all over. People are children.”
“How many people live on Harry Dick Road?” asked the mayor.
“Three. There are three houses,” Mr. Zohr replied.
The Dicks own two houses side by side and live in the first house, he explained. Other relatives live on the road and they want the name changed, he said.
“Is it just people taking the sign?” asked Councillor Brent Patrick. “Could we not just weld the sign to it?”
Mayor Murphy said the township has done what it can and this has been an ongoing issue.
Councillor John Epps said if the residents on the road want the name changed, then council should approve the request.
Mayor Murphy said she was glad to hear the residents of the roads were all okay with it. She cautioned changing a road name involves a lot of extra work people do not always realize at first.
“I just think of all these people in Dundas Street in Toronto and they are going to change the name, which is a major long road,” she said.
At the same time the mayor pointed out it was a lovely thing to have the road named after Mr. Dick to begin with.
“It is kind of sad,” she added.
By Debbi Christinck, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Sep 06, 2023 at 10:25
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