Council mulls new name for old Bolton Fire Station

Building will be renovated to become a community hub with Council supporting “Humber River Centre” name change

By Zachary Roman

“The Old Bolton Fire Hall Community Hub,” as a new name for the old Bolton Fire Station, was determined to be a bit of a mouthful.

According to a motion passed by Caledon Council at its March 22 General Committee meeting, Humber River Centre is a better name for the old fire station at 28 Ann Street that's to be renovated to become a community hub.

A report to Council from Community Services Director Heather Savage regarding the name change noted Town of Caledon staff worked with the Downtown Bolton Revitalization Task Force — which includes stakeholders from the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Toronto Region Conservation Authority — to come up with a new name.

According to the report, the task force met monthly beginning in May 2021 to discuss potential names.

“Much consideration has been given to equal representation of Caledon's history, geography and community,” reads the report.

After initial task force discussions were inconclusive, a working group was formed and a shortlist of potential names was created: The OId Bolton Fire Hall Community Hub; Humber River Centre; and Jiigaajwan Centre. 

The Old Bolton Fire Hall Community Hub was the task force's top choice and thus recommended to Council in Savage's report.

However, Councillor Tony Rosa was concerned with the recommendation and said the name was “quite a mouthful.” He said when he thinks of a new image and use for the facility, he likes the Humber River Centre name better.

“We're trying to create spaces like makerspaces and innovation centres… the more I think of that, the more I think of a centre,” said Rosa. 

Councillor Annette Groves said she agreed with Rosa, adding not many communities are fortunate enough to have a major river running through them.

“We do need to emphasize the river as a huge attribute,” she said.

In opposition to the Humber River Centre name was Mayor Allan Thompson, who preferred the name recommended in the staff report.

He said the fact the community hub will be in an old fire station is unique.

More support for the Humber River Centre name came from Councillor Nick deBoer, who noted the old fire station isn't actually that old. If it was really old, he said he'd agree with the Mayor's name preference for the historical reference. 

Rounding out the backing of the Humber River Centre name was Councillor Lynn Kiernan, who agreed with Rosa that The Old Bolton Fire Hall Community Hub name didn't roll off the tongue.

“If I was to say to my husband, ‘I think we should go and see that event tonight at the Old Bolton Fire Hall' versus ‘I think we should go to the Humber River Centre,' I know where he's coming with me,” said Kiernan.

Town staff's recommendation to Council about the new name was amended to replace “The Old Bolton Fire Hall Community Hub” with “Humber River Centre” in all instances.

Then, the motion to name the building Humber River Centre was carried unanimously.