The City of Moose Jaw is going to have a new policy for naming streets and roads.

Executive Committee got the first look at the new policy this week at their regular meeting. Michelle Sanson, with the City’s Planning Department, said they previously just had letters in a file from people who had come in with requests.

“That was the basis for our street naming,” said Sanson. “This now will formalize an actual policy and provide a basis for how those names would come forward when we want to name a subdivision or want to rename a street.”

The policy came forward when the City’s Parks and Recreation Department provided a renaming request for the Seventh Avenue Bridge.

“Our Parks Department came forward with an amendment to their park and facility naming policy, which addressed the bridge naming. But at that point, we also through that we don’t have a formal street naming policy,” said Sanson.

Names accepted will be kept on a master naming list.

“You’d fill out the application form, provide some background for why you are asking for a particular name to be considered for a future street or neighbourhood,” Sanson said.

From there, it would be brought to Executive Committee and then after passing that stage, it would be on to City Council.

But how do names get accepted onto the master list?

Some of the criteria include people who have worked or volunteered significant time in ways that bring special credit to the city, province or country, people who risk their lives to save others, former department heads, city managers, fire chiefs or elected officials for the city, historical names celebrating an historical event or figure, names with a cultural significance, names reflective of flora and fauna, and other names that may be added when unique circumstances warrant.

Only surnames will be used for streets and roads. Names can only be used once unless they are no longer in use.

“I think it’s just easier when you’re actually using it as a legal name that there’s only one name assigned to it,” she said, but if it’s really an important consideration to have a two-name street, they may be able to explain their wishes.

Naming will be reviewed by Executive Committee before going back to City Council. Deliberations may be in camera at the discretion of the chair.

When the policy is enacted, application forms will be available at City Hall to start going through the procedure.