ROAD TO RECOGNITION

CITY COUNCIL: Proposal Would Rename Highway 420 To Honour War Veterans

Canada's Second World War veterans deserve more respect than the
marijuana smokers who make an annual pilgrimage to Highway 420 in
Niagara Falls, says Coun. Victor Pietrangelo.

Pietrangelo wants Niagara Falls to look into what it takes to change
the name of Highway 420 to honour Niagara's war dead and veterans.

"It's the gateway to our community. We could make a better impact
with people who are visiting and residents by renaming it," said
Pietrangelo, who floated the idea during Monday's council meeting.

"Right now, the 420 stands for the international day of ... it refers
to the consumption of cannabis. I don't know if that's the best name
we want for our highway," Pietrangelo said.

For reasons that are kind of hazy, 4:20 p. m., is considered the
universal time of day to toke up. For several years, marijuana
activists have rallied near Highway 420 on April 20 -the fourth
month, 20th day -to call for the legalization of marijuana.

Pietrangelo was inspired to change the name by the recent christening
of the Highway of Heroes. The 172-kilometre stretch of Highway 401
earned that name because it's the final route for fallen Canadian
soldiers whose bodies are flown from Afghanistan to Canadian Forces
Base Trenton, then along Highway 401 to a medical examiner in Toronto.

Other provincial highways have been named in honour of veterans.

When the province widened Highway 416, the main route into Ottawa
about 10 years ago, it became known as the Veterans Memorial Highway.

Niagara's Highway 405 is also called Gen. Brock Parkway, after the
War of 1812 hero. The Queen Elizabeth Way was one of the first
Ontario highways to be named for a person, during the Royal Tour of 1939.

Veterans groups would back the move, said Diane Condon, president of
the Royal Canadian Legion's Spring Street branch.

"I think it's a good idea, particularly in these times, losing so
many in Afghanistan," Condon said, but she wants a more specific name.

"They could dig a little deeper than 'Memorial Highway.' You say
'memorial.' Memorial what?"

Many 400-series highways were named when an existing highway was
widened to four lanes. Near Ottawa, Highway 416 replaced Highway 16,
between the nation's capital and the U. S. border. In Toronto,
Highway 427 connects the QEW to the Pearson airport area, but Highway
27 continues north.

Highway 420 was built in the 1940s as the original end of the QEW,
but was renumbered when the QEW was extended to Fort Erie. Niagara's
Highway 20 connects the Falls to Hamilton.

With Niagara Falls slated to close Memorial Arena next year, there
won't be any other public edifice that bears the name "memorial," Pietrangelo.

Niagara Falls Memorial and Stamford Memorial arenas are among the
many public buildings constructed throughout Canada in the 1940s and
'50s after the end of the Second World War in 1945.

"I'm sorry we're losing the name, but not necessarily the building.
Everything has a life," Condon said.

The city will decommission the Niagara Falls and Stamford arenas when
the new arena complex opens in 2010. A community room will be known
as the Memorial Room, carrying the arenas' heritage forward in the
new building.

There are several steps to having a provincial highway rededicated, a
Ministry of Transportation spokesman said.

A proposal has to define the section of the highway, identify the
group being recognized and explain why the change should be made.

It needs the backing of the city and regional councils.

Niagara Falls voted to find out more about the renaming process, not
necessarily in favour of any particular change. But Mayor Ted Salci
called it an "excellent idea" to honour the city's veterans. As part
of Pietrangelo's recommendation, the city's website will have a page
allowing people to suggest any potential names. A Review reader
emailed Wednesday, suggesting it be named after the late Princess
Diana, one of the most famous guests to grace Niagara Falls.

Changing the name of a provincial highway has to have the support of
the local member of provincial parliament. Liberal Kim Craitor has
had talks with some veterans groups about a similar issue -renaming
roads in honour of Canadian soldiers from Niagara who have died in
Afghanistan - and would back Pietrangelo's idea.

"Yes, I would be supporting it, but you probably need to have
conversations with groups in the community to make sure it's
appropriate," Craitor said.

Changing the name also needs Transportation Minister Jim Bradley's
approval. Bradley would give it "favourable consideration" once the
preliminary requirements are met, said David Oved, a spokesman for Bradley.