Oliver Square no more, shopping centre rebrands to 'Unity Square'
A shopping centre in Edmonton has changed its exterior signage and online branding to remove ‘Oliver’ from its name.
Previously known as Oliver Square, the central Edmonton shopping centre will now be called Unity Square.
Frank Oliver, a Canadian politician and journalist brought the first printing press to Edmonton. He served as minister of the interior and superintendent general of Indian affairs where he pursued policies that harmed Indigenous communities, including restricting land ownership.
An Edmonton neighbourhood, park, school, and pool also feature Oliver’s name. Community members have been pushing for name changes to remove associations to the historical figure.
- Oliver Community League calls for neighbourhood name change
- Frank Oliver plaque vandalized for second time within a year
- Grandin name removed from Edmonton Catholic elementary school in unanimous vote
- Grandin Fish ‘n’ Chips rebrands, drops Grandin name
The property manager for the shopping centre confirmed the name change and said further details would be announced after the long weekend.
CTV News Edmonton received a flyer that BentallGreenOak, the company managing the property, plans to mail out to members of the community to inform them of the name change.
“Change is all around us, including our name,” the flyer read.
According to the flyer, unity was chosen because it is featured in the word community and that it has associations with the words ‘hub’ and ‘centre’ – places where people cross paths.
“Welcome to Unity Square, where the awesome power of community connects.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in father's drowning, told police he was baptizing him
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Hubble Space Telescope marks 34 years with new portrait of a 'cosmic dumbbell'
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning new image of the glowing gas ejected from a dying star, which in this case happens to resemble a 'cosmic dumbbell.'