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Is Whistler's Squaw Valley Crescent going to get a new name?

Whistler council receives another letter urging municipality to change the Creekside street's name
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Squaw Valley Crescent could be getting a new name after yet another upset visitor wrote a letter to council last month. Photo by Braden Dupuis

Every six months or so, it seems, Whistler council receives a letter urging the municipality to change the name of Squaw Valley Crescent in Creekside.

In the past, council has pointed out that some of the local street names, like Squaw Valley, are derived from past Olympic host cities.

But with yet another concerned visitor writing to council about the name (pointing out that the term "squaw" is an ethnic and sexual slur historically used for Indigenous women) last month, it appears the time has come to make the change.

In receiving the letter at its August 13 meeting, council discussed changing the name.

"This is not the first correspondence we've received on this, and actually someone spoke to me about it this week," said Councillor Cathy Jewett.

"I hope that we will take some action on this, scratch our heads and see if we can find another past Winter Olympic venue that will be able to become another great street name in Whistler."

Mayor Jack Crompton agreed, and noted that it's important to involve the Squamish and Lil'wat First Nations in the renaming process.

"I think it's something that might find itself with the protocol working committee as we consider the naming," he said.

Coun. Jen Ford said she supports changing the name, but would also like to see the residents on the street included in the process.

"We've just gone through changing every postal code in town ... it's such a hassle to change your address," she said.

"And so I think this is a good move, but let's bring the neighbourhood in on this as well."