The city will be consulting with local First Nations about recognizing a Salmon Arm park by its Switzmalph name shared by the late Dr. Mary Thomas.
Prompting this was a letter to council from resident Vivian Morris, who asked that a plaque be considered for Coyote Park with its traditional name and a note on Thomas, the famed Neskonlith Elder and ethnobotanist celebrated for her contributions to childhood development, the environment, the preservation of her culture and her pioneering work in bringing the essence of First Nations-based education to classrooms across the region.
"Years ago I met, as a representative of Shuswap Greenways, with Dr. Mary Thomas to find out the traditional name for where the park was," wrote Morris. "She told me it was called 'Home of the Coyote' and gave the Switzmalph name. Not being so enlightened back then we thought the name was too difficult to pronounce so had the city name the park Coyote Park."
Morris asked the city consider honouring Thomas and Truth and Reconciliation by "restoring the name of the park."
Coyote Park and its 2.5 kilometres of multi-use trails is located off of Lakeshore Road at 1251 54 Ave. NE.
The request, and the reasoning behind it, clicked with council.
"I like the reasoning that’s been put forward, not being so enlightened back then we thought the name was too difficult to pronounce, but she says, basically, when you know better you do better," commented Coun. Sylvia Lindgren.
Asked about the process, administrator Erin Jackson suggested the city "reach out to family of Dr. Mary Thomas first, and the band, to have discussions around it… and we could respond back to Ms. Morris to let her know that’s what the plan is."
Supportive of pursuing a plaque, Coun. Kevin Flynn advised an amendment to a tabled motion on how to go about it.
"I've heard numerous times at CSRD (Columbia Shuswap Regional District) and at other tables that we don’t assume this is reconciliation," said Flynn. "We need to reach out, in my mind, to all three bands, Secwépemc Nation, to make sure they support this, and then to the Thomas family to see if they support it. Because sometimes what we believe is reconciliation isn’t necessarily what the First Nations believe so I think we need to make sure we follow process."
Council supported the amended motion.
