LaSalle council has a decision to make when it comes to the name of the town's future waterfront project.
A report going to the Feb. 14 meeting of council lays out 620 naming suggestions for land along the Detroit River at Front Road, which would rebrand the current Gil Maure Park, Front Road Park and Riverdance Park into one site.
The name suggestions were gathered during a public engagement process in November, 2022, with the ideas touching on several themes including the Gil Maure name, historical references, Indigenous elements, Le Griffon, Nautical Mile, Petite Côte, and having the name LaSalle incorporated.
Le Griffon is in reference to the ship used in 1679 by French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, the town's namesake.
The name LaSalle was featured with name suggestions like L.A. Waterfront, LaSalle Waterfront, LaSalle Coast and LaSalle Shores.
In the late 1980's, the Township of Sandwich West put plans in place to develop 'The Nautical Mile' along a stretch of Front Road. The concept didn’t end up taking shape as was planned at the time.
Petite Côte, or "Little Coast," is the original name of the region that would become the Town of LaSalle. Petite Côte is the oldest European settlement in Ontario. It was named Petite Côte after the land was claimed by France in 1749.
Dawn Hadre, Director of Strategy and Engagement for the Town of LaSalle, says they grouped the 620 suggestions together based on the themes like Nautical Mile or Petite Côte.
"Just to give you an example, when we talked about Le Griffon, there was many different variations that came through or Griffon or some sort of version of Griffon. As well as LaSalle and Petite Côte, different versions that came through, but those were the five strong themes that came through for us," she says.
Hadre says council can make the decision if they want to choose one of these names for the waterfront.
"That would allow us to develop the theme and branding for the waterfront, which will give an identify to the entire waterfront," she adds.
LaSalle waterfront (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)
The nearly $50-million waterfront project will include a mix use of indoor and outdoor space, a walkable parkland, a 30,000 square foot event centre at the former Westport Marina site, splash pads, and a sports zone on the 60 acre property.
Council is also working to identify options within the waterfront project to honour and recognize Gil Maure, a name the family of the late Gilbert Maure does not want to see removed.
The report to council details how the family has indicated that they wanted to wait until the name of the park was confirmed before considering options for having the Maure name elsewhere on the property.
Gil Maure Park was named after Gilbert Maure, who owned the property and built a house on the land. Maure died in 1970, and the Town purchased approximately 3.6 acres of land from the Maure family in 1980. That, combined with land purchased in 1977 from another family, would become Gil Maure Park through Council Resolution in 1994 at the request of the Maure family.
LaSalle council meets Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.