Truro town is currently running a competition to name a park that was previously referred to as Reparations Park during a ceremony in May. The official name is set to be revealed in February after the town committee reviews submissions from the public. The Nova Scotia Women’s History Society, the organization behind the park project, recently met with town officials to address confusion surrounding the naming process.
The society’s chair, Anne Marie Lane Jonah, expressed surprise at the decision to involve the public in suggesting names through a contest, as she had expected the town council to name the park directly. Truro’s chief administrative officer, Michael Dolter, acknowledged the delays in the process and emphasized the importance of community engagement in the naming decision.
Despite initial misunderstandings, a meeting between the parties ended positively. Truro Mayor Cathy Hinton clarified the need for a formal naming procedure to involve the entire African Nova Scotian community. The park project, which has seen investments from both the town and the society, includes installations honoring African Nova Scotian women and notable community figures.
Over 40 name suggestions have been received since the contest opened, with Reparations Park being a popular choice. The African Nova Scotia community strategy committee will review submissions and recommend names to the council. Lane Jonah highlighted the community’s strong support for the park, emphasizing the need to focus on the positive aspects of the project despite initial disagreements.
The renaming contest will close on January 9, after which the committee will work to narrow down the suggestions to a few final names for consideration.