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Writer's pictureRon Giofu

Naming of seniors’ building delayed by town’s heritage committee

Updated: Aug 15



The Amherstburg heritage committee has delayed making a recommendation on what to officially name the building at 179 Victoria St. S. 


The committee agreed during their meeting last Thursday evening to defer making a recommendation to town council on what to name the building. The building houses the Fort Malden Golden Age Centre and is located within H. Murray Smith Centennial Park.


Three options were presented by heritage planner Adam Coates on what to name the building, including to name the building for former mayor H. Murray Smith and name the sports complex proposed for re-installation at the park for S. Ralph McCurdy, name both the building and the complex for McCurdy or to propose a name from the street naming policy or another name provided by the committee for the building with the sports complex named for McCurdy.


Committee member Frank DiPasquale believed it was an important enough decision to need the presence of the entire committee. Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb and Stephanie Pouget-Papak were not in attendance at last Thursday’s meeting.

“H. Murray Smith was important to the history of the community. He was, and still is, a wonderful man,” said DiPasquale. “We also need to honour Mr. McCurdy.”


Committee member Robert Honor was concerned over possibly double-naming amenities in the park. He suggested possibly involving the name of Dr. Forest F. Bell, whose family owned farmland in the Richmond St. and Victoria St. S. area that now houses the park.


Councillor Linden Crain indicated he would support having Bell’s name considered, also voicing concern with multiple facilities with the same name.

“I’d be happy to look at other names as well,” said Crain.


Vice chair Shirley Curson-Prue believed there was logic to what Honor stated.

“I think there is an element of confusion with the same person’s name several times in the same facility,” said Curson-Prue.


Coates told the heritage committee there was no firm timetable to put a recommendation before town council. He indicated a report could be brought back to the committee that would also consider the Bell name.


Members of the Fort Malden Golden Age Centre are calling for their building to carry the name of H. Murray Smith. A letter signed by past president Dorothy Thrasher stated they were under the impression it was already going to be named for Smith.


The club supports naming the building after Smith and cited several reasons why, such as him being an original owner of the SKD manufacturing company, his founding of Amherst Quarries and Malden Quarries, sitting on council for four years “prior to becoming one of the best mayors for this town from 1965 to 1978,” Smith being instrumental in the construction of the now-former Amherstburg Arena and the surrounding Centennial Park, and being one of the first to donate funds in 1978 to build the building at 179 Victoria St. S. which was originally named the Amherstburg Community Cultural Centre. 


Smith also was credited for supplying the town with stone from the quarry for town projects at no charge and using his front end loaders to clean streets after snow storms at no charge.

Naming of seniors’ building delayed by town’s heritage committee

By Ron Giofu


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