‘A new beginning’: Ottawa council votes to rename Trump Avenue

Ottawa city council voted unanimously to change the name of a street that has been named after U.S. President Donald Trump for more than 25 years.

During council Wednesday, all councillors agreed to begin the renaming process for Trump Avenue in the city’s Central Park neighbourhood.

The motion, brought forward by River ward Coun. Riley Brockington, said the name Trump Avenue “would not meet any of the criteria had it gone through a formal commemorative naming process.”

“This is a new beginning for the residents of Trump Avenue,” Brockington said in the chambers. “I could speak at great lengths as to why it is time to rename Trump Avenue, but I don’t want to give a platform anymore to the person who is on the current street sign.”

The councillor said he will now lead a public consultation process to select a new name for the street.

Ottawa’s Central Park neighbourhood, off of Merivale Road, includes other New York-themed names including Bloomingdale Street and Staten Way.

Trump Avenue was chosen when the neighbourhood was built in the late 1990s and early 2000s to represent Trump’s influence as a real estate mogul in New York City at the time.

Brockington said the new name could stick to that theme or deviate entirely.

The councillor said that ever since he came to office in 2014, there has been “push and pull” conversation about a possible renaming.

The councillor’s response to residents was that he’s “embarrassed . . . that we have this name in the nation’s capital and it was time to change that street name,” he told Global News.

Brockington said he brought the motion forward now as there is increasing animosity with the U.S. as a result of the country’s trade war with Canada.

“We are seeing the devastation in various industries across Ontario and Canada and at some point you have to put your foot down and say ‘enough is enough,’” he said.

The city previously considered changing the street name in 2021, but the move was ultimately defeated citing concerns around the need to amend documentation and notify services such as Canada Post and first responders.

Brockington said the process will be a hassle, but it’s doable.

“We saw today, we are not condoning anymore that we have a street named after Trump. It’s time to take a stand and move forward with a new name,” he said.

The councillor said the goal is to have a few new name options to vote on in the spring.