LUNENBURG, NS – In a recent council session, the Town of Lunenburg finalized the decision to rename Cornwallis Street, following a recommendation by its Anti-Racism Special Committee. This move comes as part of the town’s broader initiative to acknowledge and celebrate indigenous and black history within its public spaces.

The decision, which was formally approved during the council meeting, reflects a broader effort by Lunenburg to recognize and rectify historical nomenclature that may be associated with figures or events linked to colonialism and discrimination. The Anti-Racism Special Committee had previously voted unanimously in favor of recommending changes to the names of two parks and Cornwallis Street.

The council members that voted in favour of Queen Street included; Couinclors Stephen Ernst, Peter Mosher  Jenni Birtles, and Mayor Jamie Myra – while Councillors Melissa Duggan, Susan Sanford, and Deputy Mayor Ed Halverson voted against it.

Last year, the town initiated a survey to gather public input on potential new names for Cornwallis Street, with 342 respondents, primarily residents, participating. The survey results indicated that 35 percent of participants favored the name “Queen Street” as their top choice. This preference has now been officially endorsed by the council.

Other names considered by the committee included Reconciliation, Gta’n (Mi’kmaw word for Ocean), Matlot (Mi’kmaw word for Sailor), E’se’katik (Mi’kmaw place name for Lunenburg, meaning place of clams), Nitap (Mi’kmaw word for Friend), and Merligueche (Mi’kmaw word for “whitecaps which topped the waves” in the harbour), among others.

The decision to rename Cornwallis Street is part of a broader effort to promote inclusivity and recognize the historical contributions of marginalized communities within Lunenburg. The Anti-Racism Committee, in a previous meeting, had also recommended changing the names of Blockhouse Hill Park and 250th Anniversary Park to Labrador Park and Sylvia Park, respectively.