City invites residents to vote on finalist names for outdoor public space in Port Dalhousie

The City of St. Catharines is asking residents to vote for their preferred name from a list of finalists for an outdoor public space consisting of the stage, seating area and adjacent green space at 45 Lakeport Rd. in Port Dalhousie.

Today, the “Vote for your preferred name” survey opened on the City’s “Name This Space!” page for 45 Lakeport Rd., on its EngageSTC public engagement platform at engagestc.ca/name-this-space. Residents can vote for their preferred name in a short, one-question survey until Friday, Nov. 7 at 4:30 p.m.

The three finalist names are:

• Lakeside Commons
• Old Lock One Commons
• N. Carlos Garcia Commons

The City initiated the naming process in the spring for the space at 45 Lakeport Rd., located near Main Street in the Port Dalhousie Commercial Core and Harbour Area Heritage Conservation District. After asking for potential names for the space, the City received 209 submissions. With input from the City’s Historical Services staff, and in consideration of the most-common names submitted, the above finalist names were selected.

“Thank you to everyone who submitted a naming suggestion in our survey this spring,” said Amanda Knutson, the City’s Community Project and Development Planner. “We’re looking forward to residents’ votes on their preferred name. The City recognizes the names of our amenities have an important influence on the sense of community and offering the public the opportunity to submit their ideas and feedback is an important part of the process.”

After public voting on finalists closes, a preferred name will be presented to City Council this fall.

While the community has referred to this space by several names over the years, it has never had an official name since its restoration in 2018. Given the inconsistency, and to reflect the nature of the community collective that has helped make the space what it is today, last November, Port Dalhousie City Coun. Carlos Garcia requested that a formal process for the naming of the site take place.

The public engagement process is part of the City’s Naming Policy on Parks, Trails and Recreation Facilities.

The vibrant community space has a rich history, once serving as Lock 1 for the second Welland Canal, which operated from 1845 until 1935, when it was replaced by the third Welland Canal. The lock’s stone walls are still visible today and have been incorporated into the surrounding public realm landscape.

In 2018, with efforts from the City, Kiwanis Club of St. Catharines, National Trust for Canada, Port Dalhousie Beautification and Works Committee, Rankin Construction, and various private donors, Lock 1 was revamped as an outdoor event space. A stage and terraced seating were built into the lock. Later, public art (“The Pull” sculpture) was commissioned by the Kiwanis Club of St. Catharines and the Port Dalhousie Beautification and Works Committee, with support from the Harbour Club, Niagara Community Foundation, private donors, and volunteers. “The Pull” was sculpted by Veronica and Edwin Dam de Nogales from Barcelona, Spain, and Floyd Elzinga from Beamsville, Ont. Additionally, through a partnership with the Port Dalhousie Conservancy, an historic NS and T (Niagara, St. Catharines, and Toronto) former railway trolley shed was added to the upper plaza area. Today, this public space is used as a venue for outdoor concerts and community events and is enjoyed by both residents and visitors.

For more details, visit engagestc.ca/name-this-space.