Transcona Street Name Changes
Between 1959 and 1963, several streets in Transcona were renamed as part of a larger effort to eliminate duplicate street names in Greater Winnipeg. Overseen by the Greater Winnipeg Duplicate Street Name Committee of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, the commission had been investigating the number of duplicate street names as early as 1952.
In 1958, Transcona Town Council actually debated changing all its street and avenue names to numbers. This idea would not go through, but many of the streets would be renamed anyway over the next few years.
Renamed Streets - 1959 to 1960
Ashland Avenue to Rennie Avenue
Campbell Avenue to Fuller Avenue
Fourth Street to Micklin Street
Howard Avenue to Reid Avenue
Lorette Road to Shannon Road (Murdock Road)
Maple Avenue to Peake Avenue
Mulvey Avenue to Goodyear Avenue
Parker Avenue to McGibbon Avenue (Valde Avenue)
Queen Street to Robson Street
Regent Avenue (South Transcona) to Webster Avenue
Royal Street to Moroz Street
Second Street to Taggart Street
Stafford Avenue to Larche Avenue
Stuart Avenue to Maxwell Avenue (Pyra Avenue)
Third Street to Pitre Street
Watt Avenue to Kernaghan Avenue
Westgate Avenue to Baxter Avenue
In May 1959, Transcona Town Council is informed by the Metropolitan Planning Commission that Shannon Road, McGibbon Avenue, and Maxwell Avenue could not be used since those street names already existed in Greater Winnipeg. The streets would be renamed Murdock Road, Valde Avenue, and Pyra Avenue instead.
In February 1960, Town Council refused to change the name of Yale Avenue to avoid duplication with Yale Avenue (Crescentwood) in Winnipeg.
Metro Winnipeg / Greater Winnipeg - 1961
In 1961, Winnipeg and 19 other municipalities would join together as "Metro Winnipeg" (also known as Greater Winnipeg). With numerous street name duplicates within the Metro, it became more of an issue especially since many stretches of roads would change names as they crossed municipal boundaries. As a result, more streets were renamed in order to avoid confusion.
Renamed Streets - 1962 to 1964
Broad Avenue to Dutton Avenue
Cresent Road to Kern Drive
First Street to Copeland Street
King Street to Plessis Road
Oxford Street to Midway Street (Day Street)
Princess Street to Atwood Street
Rosedale to Walden Crescent
Selkirk Road to Symington Road
Thompson Avenue to Thom Avenue
Walker Street to Conlin Street
According to a 1963 Winnipeg Free Press article, Transcona was among 10 of the 19 municipalities in Greater Winnipeg to approve some of the street name changes. At the time, a bylaw was passed to change 103 street names with the option that local municipal bylaws could change their street names again, provided they did not conflict with existing names. That same year, Transcona Town Council requested that the Metropolitan Planning Commission rename Oxford Street to Day Street instead of the proposed Midway Street; it was approved.
Some months later, Town Council would refuse to change the names of Edward Avenue, Yale Avenue, and Harvard Avenue. In 1964, Town Council would inquire the Metropolitan Planning Commission as to why the City of Winnipeg had not renamed the streets Yale Avenue and Harvard Avenue (Crescentwood). Ultimately, those street names would remain unchanged.
Post-1964
In 1965, all street signs in Transcona would receive "east" and "west" designations. Other streets in Transcona would also be renamed (and some renamed again) over the decades. Some examples include:
Balfour Avenue to Binscarth Street (Hewitson Road in 1986)
Flora Avenue to Vesel Avenue
Proud Street to Whitehall Boulevard
Sparling Street to Camrose Bay
Renumbering Scheme for Houses and Businesses
In January 1948, Town Council agreed to a scheme that would see all houses and businesses in Transcona renumbered. The need for adjustment in the numbering of local property was raised by the council because there was no uniform system in Transcona at the time. During the January 8 meeting, Mayor Russ Paulley brought forth the notion to eliminate the "east" and "west" sections of the town, with Oxford Street (Day Street) as the dividing line. The adoption of the American block plan was also raised for consideration.
A delegation at the meeting brought the issue to a head with the example of property south of Regent Avenue. According to the Transcona News: "It was pointed out that to avoid confliction the use of half numbers for one property owner has been resorted to otherwise it would have involved considerable expense to adjoining property owners in the changing of property titles and insurance policies in which existing numbers were shown."
Town Council conceded that a "radical change" was required and the problem was passed on to Councillor Mel McMullen, Chairman of the Building Committee, to present a solution to the council.
The Solution
At the January 26 meeting, Councillor McMullen produced a report that stated "since the town had not provided by bylaw for a uniform system of houses numbering, existing numbers were haphazard and lacked uniformity." As it had been previously pointed out, houses a few lots apart would continue using succeeding numbers, causing new houses built in-between to use fractional numbers. The lack of uniformity would also create further confusion should postal home delivery be adopted in Transcona (which was introduced in 1958).
The report also suggested that the present system of using Oxford Street as a dividing line with "east" and "west" designations would be the best plan moving forward, as it would create less confusion. The following arrangement for renumbering all town property was suggested:
The plan was "endorsed in principle" by Town Council. A grace period was granted for property owners to obtain and install the new numbers.
Sources
Transcona and Eastern Manitoba News, January 8, 1948, p. 1.
Transcona and Eastern Manitoba News, January 29, 1948, p. 1
Transcona and Eastern Manitoba News, September 11, 1958, n.p.
Transcona Council Meeting Minutes. Transcona Museum and Archives.
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