growing chorus of voices in pointe claire probably asking for a street named after Christopher Columbus to be changed.
Columbus Avenue, a short thoroughfare less than 140 meters long located off Hymus Boulevard, is stirring up some controversy in West Island City.
Rey Coelho said, “I don’t think there is a shortage of notable people after whom a street could be named, as is known as the father of the slave trade.”
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Coelho, a resident of Pointe-Claire, says the city should not honor a tarnished historical figure in light of recent atrocities committed in the past.
“The name itself represents the genocide of the indigenous people,” Coelho said.
Since raising the issue, the cause has received support from the Red Coalition and the Mohawk Council.
“A sign like Columbus Avenue is a contributing factor to these dog whistles of systemic racism,” said Joel Debelfeuille, executive director of the Red Coalition.
“You have the opportunity to do the right thing. Rename the street and let’s move on.”
Despite raising the issue in November of last year, the Pointe-Claire City Council said it was not aware.
District Councilman Brent Cowan said the city cannot be certain the name is based on the Italian explorer.
“We have to do our homework and really find out whether it was named after Jack Columbus or Christopher Columbus — we don’t know,” Cowan said.
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While Cowan said the council would consider a possible name change if proven valid in the future, it would not act before the city of Montreal renamed Christophe-Columbus Avenue.
“If there’s going to be a public outcry about using that name, Columbus, [Christophe Colomb Ave. in Montreal] First to be seen, said Cowan, then in Pointe-Claire we’ll have to follow suit.
There is a formal process for requesting a change of street name. But in a statement to Global News, Montreal city officials said they “have not received any requests from organized groups seeking to rename Avenue Christophe-Columbus.”
Coelho said he refutes the city’s response and vowed to continue pushing for the name change.
“Changing the road is about putting it on the agenda in the council,” Coelho said.
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