The long process to formalize neighbourhoods in North Battleford has been completed.
Council has voted in favour of approving the new neighbourhoods and their names at Monday’s council meeting. The designations include 10 names of neighbourhoods that already exist either formally or informally: Killdeer Park, Fairview Heights, Maher Park, McIntosh Park, Centennial Park, College Heights, Deanscroft, Parson’s Industrial Park, Riverview and Downtown.
The new neighbourhood names include Kinsmen Park, Sapp Valley, Paciwin and Yellow Sky.
Kinsmen Park is an obvious choice, referencing the park located in the west-side neighbourhood. The latter three names are Indigenous-based, with Sapp Valley being a nod to Allen Sapp, the renowned artist; Paciwin, which is the Cree name of John B. Tootoosis, and Yellow Sky, referencing Chief Yellow Sky. The latter name will be used to refer to the southeast quadrant area.
Administration engaged an elder group organized by Battle River Treaty 6 to assist in the naming of the neighborhoods. The elder group plans to hold a pipe ceremony near Gold Eagle Casino July 6.
The process of coming up with the neighbourhood names has been a long one. Mayor Ryan Bater acknowledged the work of their planning and development team in the process. The plan now is to begin to let the public know about the new neighbourhoods and their names.
“The rollout of this will be publicized quite heavily in the coming weeks,” said Bater.
