What's in a name? A lot when it comes to Regina's Dewdney Avenue

Dewdney Avenueis getting a long-awaited facelift, and a motionheading to Regina city council next month asks whether the major thoroughfare should havea new name as well.

The major road, which runs east to west through almost the entire length of Regina,stretches from the RCMP's Depot Divisonthrough the neighbourhood of north central and past downtown.A $32-million revitalization of the stretch of Dewdney Avenue between Albert Street and Broad Street was announced last month.

However, community organizers have been attempting for years to get the city to rename the street, saying there's no reason to honour itsnamesake, Lord Edgar Dewdney.

Dewdneyserved as commissioner of Indian Affairs and lieutenant governor of the North-West Territories,much of which now comprises the Prairie provinces, in the late 19th century.

He selected Regina as its capital before Saskatchewan became a province.

Dewdney also helped set up Canada's reserve system,withheld food and rations from Indigenous communities, which resulted in starvation, and established Indian residential schools.

"Renaming our city's neighbourhoods, our parks is one act of reconciliation, because how do I feel like I belong?Where is the representation of my Indigenous history on this land?" said JoelyBigEagle-Kequahtooway, aRegina artist.

BigEagle-Kequahtooway is also the founder of the Buffalo People's Arts Institute, a non-profit organizationthat works to revitalize cultural activities and traditional forms of knowledge.

She helpedorganizeand submita petition requesting that the city strip the Dewdney name from its assets, including a park, pool and the major avenue.

Her efforts were only partly successful. In 2021 the pool and park wererenamed Buffalo Meadows.

"It was an easier decision to make because it didn't impact that many people, whereas changing Dewdney Avenuewill cause some effects within the community but I think that that's a good thing," BigEagle-Kequahtooway said.

Coun. Dan LeBlanc(Ward 6)said renamingDewdney Avenue felt like "unfinished businesses."

That's why LeBlanc andCoun. Andrew Stevens (Ward 3) are putting a motion beforecouncil that, if passed, would direct the city to rename Dewdney Avenue"as soon as practicable."

"It's totally improper to have a major streetin Regina named after an open settler-colonialist racist," LeBlanc said.

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It's not yet clear how Regina city council will vote on the proposal. Mayor Sandra Masters appeared uncommitted when asked on Wednesday.

"It is one of our longest roads in the city, and there's 2,500 businesses and residents that are on that street," Masters said, adding that must be balanced against the demands of those who believe the name must be changed.

LeBlanc pointed to council endorsing an Indigenous framework as a reason his proposal should receive support.

That document was supposed to be a concrete commitment to reconciliation by the city's government. LeBlanc says now is the time to prove it.

The Ward 6 councillorsayswants the Indigenous community to be consulted if and when a new name is chosen to replace Dewdney.

"I hope there's some kind of reclamation," LeBlancsaid.

BigEagle-Kequahtooway says she will not be demoralized if the effort to rename Dewdney Avenuefails at council.

She's been campaigning for change since 2016, inspired by the publication of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report the year before, and she saysshe is not going to stop now.

"The only thing that I have is perseverance, right. And so whether it was a past mayor or whether it's this mayor, I'm going tostill continue," she said.

The renaming proposal is set to be debatedwhen Regina city council meets on June 12.