- by Anne Finlay-Stewart, Editor, with help from some friendly neighbours

With fewer syllables than any public school name in the area, the Gitche Namewikwedong dedication of the 10th Street bridge is just unfamiliar to many locals, no more unpronouncable than those school names are to some of our newest Owen Sounders. As an experienced ESL teacher, I'd be happy to help you learn.

Some of our good neighbours had these observations on the name:

... a lot of people seem to forget that the majority of Canadian place names, including Canada itself, are named for indigenous words and names. Surely you're able to pronounce names like Penetanguishene or Manatoulin, Kapuskasing or Garafraxa, or Couchiching perhaps? Oh, probably because they were already established names by the time you heard them.

Naming a bridge for them isn't going to hurt anyone. It's not as if you are required to say the name every time you want to cross it. It's going to be put on a plaque somewhere on the bridge with some heritage backstory and a couple of pictures that tourists will stop and read, and the locals will go on referring to it as the 10th street bridge which, while not its official name, is still an acceptable label as it is the only bridge on 10th street. Everyone will know what you're talking about, no need to go out of your cultural comfort zone and embarrass yourself trying to pronounce this "impossible" name (hint: think back to grade 1 when you were taught to soooooound iiiiit ouuuuuut). They aren't asking you to learn the entire language, they are simply paying respect to our indigenous neighbours, friends and family. - Andrew Kennedy

Weren't there similar complaints when the Chi-Cheemaun was named? And now we all (locals) say it with pride and a sense of ownership. People find the silliest things to complain about. It's a great name honoring a great people in a pretty great little town! - Terry Morrison

People have clearly forgotten that 10th street was once Division Street and 8th Street was once Union Street. People will adapt to new names over time. "Always" is really not that long in a normal lifespan. I moved to Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island 39 years ago. Today everyone calls it Iqaluit without exception. That was always its real name. Gitche Namewikwedong - “Great Sturgeon Bay” sounds way cooler than Georgian Bay. Maybe because that's its real name too. - Richard MacDonald