Halifax opens voting on 5 names for new ferry

Haligonians are now able to vote onwhich one of the five names of prominentNova Scotiansthey want to grace the next Halifax Transit ferry.

The options are: Vincent Coleman, Pte. John Curwin, Viola Desmond, Maj. Gavin Rainnie and Ron Wallace. Residents can vote online until Feb. 15.

• Coleman was killed during the 1917 Halifax explosion because he stayed behind to warnapproaching trainswith a Morse code message about the blast.
• Mouth Uniacke'sCurwinserved in Afghanistan and was killed when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in 2008.
• Desmond was a civil rights activist who raised awareness about segregation. Theblackbusinesswoman wasjailed and fined in 1946 for refusing to give up her seat in the white section of a New Glasgow movie theatre.
• Dartmouth native Rainnie served with the Royal Canadian Artillery anddied on D-Day at Juno Beach.
• Wallace was Halifax's longest-serving mayor, from 1980 to 1991. The optometrist also was part of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly in the 1970s.

Narrowed down to final 5

The city launched a contest in the fall for name suggestions, and received about 200 entries. A committee made up of Mayor Mike Savage and members from community councils narrowed down the final fivefrom a short list based on factors such diversity, significance and originality.

Whoever submitted the name that wins will receive a year-long transit pass.

The as-yet-unnamedferryis expected to start carrying passengers on one of two Halifax-Dartmouth routes this summer.

In 2014, residentsvoted to name another ferryChristopher Stannixafter asoldier who died in Afghanistan in 2007.

A second replacement ferry was christened Craig Blakelast year, named afterthe firstCanadian sailor killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan.