Oshawa looking to streamline street naming policy; Diamond, Dias to be honoured

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Published October 5, 2021 at 10:17 am

Oshawa added a couple of prominent names to their street name reserve list Monday with Development Services Committee members also calling for an official street naming policy so people who have made important contributions to the city can be properly honoured.

Mayor Dan Carter made a pitch for Jerry Dias, who has been president of Unifor, Canada’s largest trade union, since 2013 to be put on the list, citing Dias’ two-plus year struggle to re-open General Motors after the auto giant announced it was pulling out of Oshawa in 2018.

“He has played an important role in the automotive industry in Canada and a significant role in returning the plant to operation.”

GM is scheduled to be producing pick-up trucks again next month.

Regional Councillor Bob Chapman then put in the word for the late Nancy Diamond, who served on Oshawa Council for more than 20 years, including a 12-year stint from 1991-2003 as Mayor. Diamond and her larger-than-life personality returned to council in 2010 as a Regional Councillor, where she served until her death at the age of 75 in 2017.

Diamond is the city’s longest-serving Mayor and several committee members spoke in favour of recognizing her contributions to the city and of establishing a policy to make it easier to honour other prominent residents in the future.

Committee Chair Tito-Dante Marimpietri pointed out that it takes a long time to get names in use so having a clear policy should help speed the process up.

“It’s not just the person’s name – it’s also their families who also get recognized,” he said. “And it’s something that transcends politics.”

There are about 50 names currently on the city’s street name reserve list.

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