Editor:
I am writing this letter in support of the dropping of “Royal” in the title of the Royal City. I proudly come from a family of six generations to this city and I will always consider it home. The Wintemute family from which I come, were pioneers here. And they were no doubt proud of the Royal city moniker.
Well times have changed. No longer are we under the wing of the monarchy. And, we have come a long way to understanding the true heritage of our land. Dropping the “Royal” brings us closer to recognizing our indigenous brothers and sisters and for respecting their territorial rights.
New Westminster has a history of being hierarchical. We have come a long way in creating an inclusive and diverse community. That’s what I appreciate about this great city
Yours sincerely,
Val MacDonald
Editor:
Re: Royal City name and crown logo
From the heated responses, you’d think it was the name of the City itself that was being changed instead of the downplaying of a nickname and its related symbol. Not every local identifies strongly with ‘Royal City’. I was born and raised in Vancouver, have worked/lived in New West since 1984, and in all that time the term Royal City never seemed more than quaint and by-the-way to me. (And while I think a figurehead monarchy is useful, I didn’t care for the crown symbol being around so much … this was Canada after all, not Old Blighty. The logo seemed out of place even on that ground alone.)
However, the reaction is understandable since people were apparently blindsided by the news. I agree with council’s intentions, but the way they went about it seems high-handed. There would be some strong opposition whichever way it was handled, but more communication beforehand might have helped reduce nervous upset and been more respectful of interested parties. Still, it seems they will have some influence. My understanding is those parties will have a say in forging a less exclusive civic symbol.
That said, the City no longer using the nickname doesn't mean others have to stop using it if they like. Many historic links carry on (for centuries even) without having to be part of the government bureaucracy.
I understand people having a fond attachment to such a longstanding tradition, but it is time for those symbols to go from official matters. Considering the many horrible aspects of colonialism, they are an offensive association for government to use (especially that logo on the City’s website and correspondence). Rebranding is a chance for New West to set a good example instead of being an insensitive stick-in-the-mud.
New Westminster should create a more balanced city symbol connecting its past to its present. Besides, the official Royal City link will live on nicely, if more discreetly, via New West’s floral emblem, officially registered internationally as the “Royal City Rose.”
Judith Hellem
Editor:
The move away from the crown is not about rewriting history or denying the past, it is about creating a future where everyone feels welcomes. It's time to move on.
Bob Crockett
Editor:
I have lived in New West for a year and I believe this is a vibrant multicultural community. I don’t think the ‘Royal City’ describes who we are now, and honestly, in light of reconciliation, the connection to colonialism is in poor taste. With New Westminster Secondary School being the Hyacks, elementary schools being renamed, and the new pool’s naming, I think we can come up with a name for our city that is more reflective of the times we live in.
Gabrielle Brown
Editor:
I moved to our little town partly because I loved the historical and heritage aspects of New Westminster. I worry that a modernized branding would lose touch with this valuable asset of our city. I can recognize that the colonial aspects are problematic and would rather see a historical symbol of less colonial character than a crown and the word “royal” but not sure what that would be. Perhaps “Capital on the Fraser”? We shouldn’t perpetuate symbols of colonialism but we also shouldn’t hide and try to escape our history.
Oskar Eriksson
Editor:
First, to the Mayor, the initiative to remove the Royal City from New Westminster branding is a good idea, and a noble project, but it seems unreasonable and disingenuous to initiate this objective at the end of your mayoral term, as if to create a last change legacy as Mayor of this fine city.
To the Councillors, I wonder if sufficient thought and consideration has gone into the Mayor's rebranding initiative. Questions like how much will this cost, or could the funds for this project be allocated elsewhere, especially when there are far more immediate problems that face the city of New Westminster - homelessness, drug use, vandalism, crime, untreated mental health?
These problems are not only acute to the individuals who live with multiple barriers, but as a local business owner they affect local businesses who have been impacted negatively.
Furthermore, many businesses are struggling and cannot afford the costs associated with rebranding, i.e., signs, stationary, promotional material and so on. Over the past 2 1/2 years we have dealt with a pandemic, an opioid health crisis both impacting our ability to function effectively and now as a business owner I am perplexed as to why this rebranding initiative is coming on the heels of these crises.
While we support the replacement of the term ‘Royal’ as a descriptor of our city, by something less colonial, more inclusive, my request to Mayor and council is that the process be a gradual one, so our community can deal with the more pressing crises, the safety and wellbeing of all residents in New Westminster. I think all residents should have the opportunity to speak about this in an appointed time.
I would suggest that once the new council is formed in the fall session that the rebranding of the city be placed on the agenda as a matter of community discussion this will respect the democratic process.
Thank you
Patricia Redman, Kamini Everaars, Wesley Everaars, Sorina Arsenie, Debbie Watson, Eugene Arsenie, James Fuller
