[Moncton] Riverview Developments

[Philbilly]

The Petitcodiac Riverkeeper group has come up with a proposed name for the new bridge being built to replace the causeway between Moncton and Riverview, and it's hoping the public will support the choice.

Pont Petigotiag Bridge is meant to represent the Mi'kmaw, Acadian and Anglophone cultures.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5998484

[J81]

Originally Posted by Philbilly

The Petitcodiac Riverkeeper group has come up with a proposed name for the new bridge being built to replace the causeway between Moncton and Riverview, and it's hoping the public will support the choice.

Pont Petigotiag Bridge is meant to represent the Mi'kmaw, Acadian and Anglophone cultures.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5998484

Good grief. Nay for me!

[jonny golden]

Looking at the GNB site, I saw a property sale in Riverview that I hadn't noticed before. There was a dry cleaners on Coverdale Rd. (next to the Lion's club) that's been out of business for quite some time. Being neglected for years, the building now looks pretty bad. It sold in the fall for $48 thousand even though it's assessed for over $100 thousand. I think at some point we'll see it demolished and this lot developed. It's a good location, right on the main drag in Riverview. At this point somebody is paying taxes of $5,000 a year so I can't imagine they'll sit on it for ever.

[josh_cat_eyes]

Originally Posted by J81

Good grief. Nay for me!

Agreed that’s a terrible name. Unless there is an easy to pronounce name that people can remember it’s just going to be the causeway bridge to people.

[L'homard]

It is a very easy to pronounced name. It's pronounced Petitcodiac.

[J81]

Originally Posted by L'homard

It is a very easy to pronounced name. It's pronounced Petitcodiac.

People who arent from here wont know how to pronounce it. Heck they cant even pronounce Dieppe most of the time.

[gehrhardt]

Regardless of what it is named, locals will either call it the "causeway bridge" or "the new bridge" anyway.

[MonctonRad]

I am not pathologically adverse to "Pont Petigotiag Bridge", and, if this is the popular choice, I am cool with this.

My preference for naming the new structure remains the R. B. Bennett Memorial Bridge since this former Prime Minister from Albert County continues to be poorly remembered, and, when he is remembered, maligned.

The current political climate however tends to disapprove of naming bridges after historical individuals, so I doubt this is being considered.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by J81

People who arent from here wont know how to pronounce it. Heck they cant even pronounce Dieppe most of the time.

Not really sure I understand this one. The bridge is going to mostly be used by local commuters in the community. What's the big deal if tourists might have to ask someone how to pronounce the name of the bridge? It's not a tourist attraction.

Everyone's experiences may vary but I've personally never heard of someone not being able to pronounce Dieppe.

I feel like we heard similar complaints when Avenir Centre got the naming rights to the events Centre that people couldn't pronounce the name (different situation obviously). After a few months everyone figured it out. When "Cavok" Brewing opened almost no one knew how to pronounce it, it became a conversation piece at the brewery and now anyone in the beer scene can pronounce it fine.

I believe the intention with the traditional spelling would be to have people ask questions on the origins.

Personally I don't have much investment either way on what the name is. Pont Petigotiag Bridge is fine by me. People will be outraged no matter what is picked, after a few weeks things will settle down and some will call it the "new bridge" or the "causeway bridge", and some will call it the correct name and move on with their lives.

[L'homard]

LOL! It's funny because all of you above are correct.
PS I used to work in the public eye and have often been asked for directions to Deppie, Koushiboogooik National Park, McQuack Provincial Park and so on. Including by local residents. And indeed, it will be called "The Causeway Bridge" for many generations to come.
I don't care what they name it but if I were to vote on it I agree with RB Bennett.

[J81]

Originally Posted by lirette

Not really sure I understand this one. The bridge is going to mostly be used by local commuters in the community. What's the big deal if tourists might have to ask someone how to pronounce the name of the bridge? It's not a tourist attraction.

Everyone's experiences may vary but I've personally never heard of someone not being able to pronounce Dieppe.

I feel like we heard similar complaints when Avenir Centre got the naming rights to the events Centre that people couldn't pronounce the name (different situation obviously). After a few months everyone figured it out. When "Cavok" Brewing opened almost no one knew how to pronounce it, it became a conversation piece at the brewery and now anyone in the beer scene can pronounce it fine.

I believe the intention with the traditional spelling would be to have people ask questions on the origins.

Personally I don't have much investment either way on what the name is. Pont Petigotiag Bridge is fine by me. People will be outraged no matter what is picked, after a few weeks things will settle down and some will call it the "new bridge" or the "causeway bridge", and some will call it the correct name and move on with their lives.

Im not sure what you dont understand. But if you havent ever heard of anyone pronouncing Dieppe as Deppie, Dippie, Die-eppe D... then you cant have much interaction with people outside the area because i hear it frequently as L’homard attests to.

Have you ever crossed a bridge and wondered why it was given the name it has? Not me. Some are easy ( Confederation, George Washington, Cartier as examples ) but never did i ever wonder why the Whitestone bridge or the Macdonald or Mackay bridges were named as they are. I dont think naming it the way theyve proposed will stir too much constructive conversation IMO.

Im all for naming important infrastructure after important and influential people.
MonctonRads proposal sounds great to me.

[tw31]

Originally Posted by L'homard

It is a very easy to pronounced name. It's pronounced Petitcodiac.

In Mi’kmaq language, different letters take different sounds as not all languages directly translate to English alphabetically and phonetically.

The closer-to-correct way of saying it would be, “beh-dee—goh dee-ahg”

I like the name. It gives the opportunity to engage the public and educate them, as I’m sure no one understands the origin of that name or it’s history.

It’s great marketing if someone wants to put the effort in.

[jonny golden]

Does anyone know the process that's used to name the bridge?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by jonny golden

Does anyone know the process that's used to name the bridge?

No official naming process has been revealed, although I suspect we will just receive an official edict from DTI (without public consultation), with the chosen name being as bilingual, inoffensive and non controversial as possible.

[lirette]

Originally Posted by J81

Im not sure what you dont understand. But if you havent ever heard of anyone pronouncing Dieppe as Deppie, Dippie, Die-eppe D... then you cant have much interaction with people outside the area because i hear it frequently as L’homard attests to.

Have you ever crossed a bridge and wondered why it was given the name it has? Not me. Some are easy ( Confederation, George Washington, Cartier as examples ) but never did i ever wonder why the Whitestone bridge or the Macdonald or Mackay bridges were named as they are. I dont think naming it the way theyve proposed will stir too much constructive conversation IMO.

Im all for naming important infrastructure after important and influential people.
MonctonRads proposal sounds great to me.

I have plenty of interaction with people outside the community. I work in an office who has had visitors from all over the world. If someone pronouncing something incorrectly I simply correct them and they can decide for themselves whether to use the correct pronunciation or not. The same as I would do if I visited another community and was corrected. As I've said in my post we all have different experiences. On my first trip to Ireland last year I pronounced all kinds of things wrong, which I was happy to learn throughout my visit and correct myself.

When I visit the Kouchibouguac National Park I don't tell my friends I visited the national park close to Miramichi. I learned to pronounce the name.

I don't see this as a reason to not to name the bridge after something hard to pronounce. Are you saying if an influential person was chosen to name the bridge (per your criteria) after we should only pick someone with an easy to pronounce name?

For example there's a bridge in BC Name the Pattullo Bridge, named after a former Prime Minister. I'd probably have to ask someone the correct pronounciation.

One of the most scenic bridges in Canada is called the Hagwilget Canyon Bridge.

The suggestion here is to name the bridge after the river it goes over, and honour the Mik'Maw culture by spelling it the traditional way. I really do not see controversy. But like I said people will make one anyway. Last I've got on this topic.

[RUSTY386]

Originally Posted by Philbilly

The Petitcodiac Riverkeeper group has come up with a proposed name for the new bridge being built to replace the causeway between Moncton and Riverview, and it's hoping the public will support the choice.

Pont Petigotiag Bridge is meant to represent the Mi'kmaw, Acadian and Anglophone cultures.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5998484

when you think about it, they are only representing 1 culture and NB being bilingual it is required to have Pont and Bridge in the name...

[josh_cat_eyes]

I have a few suggestions
2017-2021 Pont-Jetée Riverview-Moncton Moncton-Riverview Causeway Bridge 2017-2021
The Covid-19 Memorial Bridge
The Blaine Higgs Causeway Closure Delay Bridge
The Rob Wells Bridge

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

How about the 2017-2021 Pont-Jetée Riverview-Moncton Moncton-Riverview Causeway Bridge 2017-2021

The only suitable solution, really.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by josh_cat_eyes

How about the 2017-2021 Pont-Jetée Riverview-Moncton Moncton-Riverview Causeway Bridge 2017-2021

No First Nations content.

It should be "the 2017-2021 Pont-Jetée Riverview-Moncton Petigotiag/Petitcodiac Moncton-Riverview Causeway Bridge 2017-2021"

Before anyone takes any umbrage to this, I am only joking.

[Ifyoubuildit]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I am not pathologically adverse to "Pont Petigotiag Bridge", and, if this is the popular choice, I am cool with this.

My preference for naming the new structure remains the R. B. Bennett Memorial Bridge since this former Prime Minister from Albert County continues to be poorly remembered, and, when he is remembered, maligned.

The current political climate however tends to disapprove of naming bridges after historical individuals, so I doubt this is being considered.

My preference would be to name it something that emphasizes conversation or could be extrapolated to bettering our natural environment, which was the entire purpose for removing the causeway and building a bridge in the first place. I think someone had suggested Resurgo a while back. I don't think you could use that name but something that means revitalization, etc. Wouldn't this impart a positive reminder on generations to come and remind us all on the fact that we have to do better when it comes to nature?