Edmonton takes another step to rename central neighbourhood Wîhkwêntôwin, remove Oliver moniker

It's almost official: Wîhkwêntôwin is the new name for Edmonton's most densely populated neighbourhood.

Edmonton City Council's executive committee on Wednesday approved the moniker recommended last month by the Oliver Community League.

Mayor Amarjeet Sohi told reporters on Wednesday he greatly appreciates the community league's efforts, which saw it consult with various groups, including Indigenous organizations, Black and Asian communities, and local residents about a name change since 2020.

The name change still requires full city council approval. It is next slated to be addressed by councillors in two weeks.

The consultation came following heightened awareness of negative actions against racialized people by the central Edmonton community's former namesake Frank Oliver, a prominent city figure in the early 20th century who, as an area MP and a federal cabinet minister between 1905 and 1911, brought in policies targeting Indigenous land rights and restricting immigration.

"I am very grateful to the community league and the leadership they have taken on in bringing a community together and moving forward in a way that community is more united in recognizing the wrongs of the past and moving together to on a path to reconciliation ... and reflect on our desired goal of dealing with these controversial issues in a more collegial way, (so) we can actually have a very good conversation and have a tough conversation, raise tough questions, but arrive at a consensus as much as possible to rename this community," Sohi said.

City staff estimates the cost to change signage in the neighbourhood to the wîhkwêntôwin name, as well as behind-the-scenes work with the likes of Canada Post and the Canada Revenue Agency, will be about $500,000.

Most of that work is expected to be completed by the beginning of next year.

Among the neighbourhood landmarks the city would rename Wîhkwêntôwin are Oliver Park, located between 118 and 119 streets and 103 and 104 avenues, as well as the ice arena and pool located there. The future LRT stop along 104 Avenue at 116 Street would also use Wîhkwêntôwin in its name.

Edmonton Public Schools, which operates Oliver School, told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday its board of trustees makes decisions on school names and will consider the process the community has taken to decide on the name change.

The board had previously agreed to change the school's name.

"As we continue our work on renaming Oliver School, we will build on what we learned from the renaming process that led to the announcement of kisêwâtisiwin School (formerly Dan Knott School)," Veronica Jubinville, an Edmonton Public Schools communications consultant, told CTV News Edmonton in an email.

Edmonton Public Schools renamed kisêwâtisiwin School in May 2022. Dan Knott, the Mill Woods junior high's former namesake who served as Edmonton's mayor in the early 1930s, had ties to the Ku Klux Klan. The decision to rename the school was made in 2020 after an Indigenous student collected more than 7,000 signatures to have the name changed.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson