By TERRY PUGH
A major arterial street in Warman is getting a new name.
Industrial Road, a heavily-travelled connector between Central Street and Steves Street, is shedding its humble drudgery-laden image in favour of the more sophisticated and urbane moniker, 1st Avenue South.
The same road north of the intersection at Central Street is known as 1st Avenue North. The name change is aimed at creating consistency for the entire length of the north-south roadway.
Warman City Council voted in favour of the street name change at its meeting on Monday, May 25.
It was one of three recommendations contained in a report from city adminstration to receive approval from council at the meeting.
The other name changes involve recreational facilities.
The softball diamonds in Prairie Oasis Park will now be known as the Edgar Bergen Ball Fields. This renaming applies specifically to the ball fields, not the park as a whole. Edgar Bergen is a retired City of Warman employee and long-time resident of the community.
The Warman off-leash dog park will be renamed the Sheryl Spence Off-Leash Dog Park. Sheryl Spence is a former mayor and long-time resident of the city.
All three name changes came before council after they were recommended by the city’s Street Naming Committee.
Warman Recreation and Community services Manager Paul McGonigal said the committee’s recommendations for naming the ball diamonds and dog park recognize the pivotal role those individuals played in developing the facilities.
“Edgar Bergen dedicated many years of service to the City of Warman, both as an employee and as a volunteer,” said McGonigal. “He always put his community first. He looked after the rink during the winter months, and the ball diamonds and soccer pitches during the summer. He was instrumental in creating a lot of these facilities. He was with the city when the original two ball diamonds on the east edge of Prairie Oasis Park were built.”
McGonigal said Bergen was also a key volunteer with the Warman Diamond Rodeo and the Warman Sport and Cultural Village fundraising campaign; and is currently a volunteer with the Warman History Book Committee.
“Edgar is a resident who’s dedicated so much time and energy to our community,” said McGonigal. “This is a way of repaying those efforts with a bit of recognition.”
McGonigal said Sheryl Spence was instrumental in the development of the 20-acre off-leash dog park, located on the eastern entrance to the city from Highway 11.
“Sheryl always had a tender spot for animals,” said McGonigal. “She recognized the need for an off-leash dog park in the city and worked hard to get this facility established.”
In addition to her role as a city councillor and mayor for many years, Spence was a volunteer member of the Sport and Cultural Village campaign, and dedicated countless volunteer hours helping community organizations. She is also a key member of the Warman History Book Committee.