Tom Young Says: “RM” tag has to go!
There’s a great idea currently being floated by some of those who live in Halifax…
…Change the name, so the old becomes new again.
What’s with this “Halifax Regional Municipality” stuff?
For more than twenty years, I lived in the small New Brunswick town of Renforth. For a little more than the past five years, I’ve lived in Rothesay New Brunswick — but I didn’t move there.
Some years ago, the provincial government in New Brunswick decided for various reasons that a number of small towns and villages should lose their identity and become one.
We didn’t become the “Regional Municipality of Rothesay,” we became the Town of Rothesay — so that when people asked us where we lived, the answer was simple — Rothesay.
At some point in the future, all the towns and villages which surround the city of Saint John may someday be amalgamated into one. The one thing I know for sure, it won’t be called the “Regional Municipality of Saint John.”
Do they call it the “Regional Municipality of Toronto?” Of course not.
Do they call it the “Regional Municipality of Montreal?” Of course not.
When Ontario cities Port Arthur and Fort William became one, did they call it the Regional Municipality of Port Arthur and Fort William? Of course not.
They called it “Thunder Bay.”
When you ask New Brunswickers where they’re going for the weekend, is their answer “I’m going to the Regional Municipality of Halifax?” Of course not.
Let’s get over small town thinking. Amalgamation is a way of life, it’s been ten years or more since Halifax became the vibrant city it is today. Let’s take the name “Regional Municipality” and put it on the curb with the rest of the trash.
Like it or not, the people who live around the city, live in Halifax — and there’s nothing wrong with that name.
I’m Tom Young and that’s what I think.
September 20th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
While they’re at, maybe they can do the same with the “Cape Breton Regional Municipality” or CBRM for short.
September 21st, 2007 at 6:25 pm
If the name of HRM must be changed, why not change it to “Capital City?” After all, HRM is the capital of Nova Scotia, isn’t it? Add to that name change the standard of calling all the various areas “boroughs” such as the “Halifax Borough” and the “Spryfield Borough” and what used to be called the “downtown core” can be called “Central Halifax” and “Central Dartmouth” etc. This would end all he stupid and petty infighting about names and let us get on with the important stuff like crime prevention. Shakespeare said it best. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” In our case HRM by any other name would still be HRM.
September 26th, 2007 at 10:21 am
I have lived in both Halifax & Dartmouth and both cities have their distinct identities. For those who reside in those cities and the Town of Bedford, they know where they live. How about using the name Halifax and leave it at that? The present name of HRM is just too long and no one knows where you live if you were tell them that you live there.
If, for the sake of those wanting a professional sports team in the area, did come here would they be called the Halifax Regional Municipality “whatever”, I think not. If that were the case then we should look at changing our beloved Moosehead jerseys now. I wonder if there is enough material out there to accomodate that change?
C’mon people, get over it, it’s only a name and again you know where you live and you can be proud of that.
September 27th, 2007 at 5:58 am
The HRM is comprised of the cities of Halifax and Dartmouth , the town of Bedford and the County of Halifax , which now includes approx 200 individual communities , from one end of Halifax to the other now represents over a 100 mile distance , it is absurb to expect someone living in Ecum Secum and someone living in Hubbards to say they both live in Halifax , yes they live in the Halifax region but not in Halifax, try giving directions to someone who comes to Hubbards but wants to go to Ecum Secum just because we said both were the same name “Halifax”.
That would be like including Sussex,Moncton,Dieppe and Sackville as the same city. Sorry guys it doesn’t work. The only ones who seem to have a problem with the HRM moniker are city officials when they go away , well any logo I’ve seen so far has Halifax in large letters and Regional Municiplaity in small , its a brand so market as Halifax , not a problem, but those 200 communities will still have there own identity.
October 3rd, 2007 at 4:24 am
Living in the “Great Satan” before it became the GTA as it is now referred to, boroughs such as Etobicoke had their own mayor, (I think Dennis Flynn held the post since the earth was molten). But you could never really tell when you left one borough and entered another.
Thunder Bay residents still refer to their places of residence as Port Arthur, Fort William, and Westfort, (not really a city per se but a local anomaly).
I live in the HRM, I don’t live in Halifax. Changing the enormous HRM tax toilet to just “Halifax” doesn’t make sense, especially if you live in, say, Musquodoboit Harbour. HRM covers too vast an area and too many smaller cities and towns for such a change.
October 10th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Lets leave it Halifax Regional Municipality . That unless we change the name to Chebucto or any name that is not the same as the area as the old city of Halifax . Naming it Halifax will only confuse people in and out of HRM of where Halifax is