There is now a Lake of Crackling Stars on the North Shore and a place on the Noiseless River in Quebec. Gone are the names of trees and holy figures, cities and the government now compete in imagination to poeticize the territory. And the good news is that citizens can submit their ideas.
“In Quebec, there are really beautiful toponyms, creative toponyms,” says the spokesperson for the Commission de toponymie du Québec, Chantal Bouchard. On February 14, the organization, which is more than a century old, revealed its “favorites” of the most beautiful toponyms created during the year.
The public prize went to La Venise des Castors, a section of Lake Pikauba in Jacques-Cartier National Park.
Apparently, the zeal displayed by the beavers in this place gave rise to a dam so imposing and complex that it was thought appropriate to associate it with the canals of Venice.
The Commission jury chose “3e rang du Vieux-Verbal” in Saint-Calixte, in Lanaudière. Contrary to what one might suspect, the formula does not evoke an elder who has a lot of conversation, but the name that the locals gave to an old colonization route. The term “verbal” comes from the old expression “verbalize a path” when the municipal council dictated how it would be established and maintained.
Created in 2013, the competition was enriched with a public prize five years ago. This year, more than 7,700 people participated, says Mme Bouchard. Last year, the North Shore was in the spotlight with its “Cracking Stars Lake” near Baie-Comeau.
In addition to “highlighting” the prettiest toponyms, the Commission wishes to “give inspiration to municipalities” so that they can find beautiful place names, specifies the spokesperson.
Quebec, inspired poet
Quebec City is one of the municipalities that is not short of inspiration. In 2023, it was among the finalists for its “Place de la Rivière-Sans-Bruit”.
The previous year, his “Turtle Footbridge” had received the public prize. Could the municipality have hired poets without telling us?
No. These new names are certainly poetic, but they are first and foremost rooted in the past, points out Frédéric Smith, historian and advisor on commemoration and the promotion of heritage at the City. “The first instinct we have is to look at what the history of the place can tell us. »
The idea for Place de la Rivière-Sans-Bruit came from former councilor and urban chronicler Réjean Lemoine, who sits on the toponymy committee. It evokes a quieter section of the Saint-Charles River that people in the neighborhood called it that way in the past.
“It was really a favorite for us too,” underlines the advisor responsible for the file on the executive committee, Claude Lavoie. “I really like running along the Saint-Charles, and it’s true that you have the impression of being completely elsewhere in this place. »
As for the Tortue footbridge, another idea of the committee, it is a nod to Jean de La Fontaine’s fable since it leads to the Pointe-aux-Lièvres park. It is also a tribute to the symbol of the turtle, very present in indigenous culture.
How it works ?
Each time the city needs to name a place, it mandates the Commission to find one. Furthermore, many people don’t know it, but citizens can submit proposals for street and park names. Most municipalities offer citizens suggestions on toponyms on their website.
Thus, when the Commission does not have a precise idea, it can draw on the bank of suggestions that it has built up since the 1980s.
A reserve which today has more than 2000 names. “We are in a pool [de gens] passionate, says Claude Lavoie. We receive a phenomenal amount of proposals. »
The bank is not about to be empty, adds Mr. Smith, since only 15 to 20 new toponyms appear each year.
“We don’t have many opportunities to name new streets or squares. So our bank is growing faster than it is emptying. »
However, citizens’ proposals are rarely poetic and mainly concern historical figures and well-known personalities.
The historian specifies that in terms of historical figures, toponyms must meet certain criteria. The person must have “distinguished themselves in a particular way in their field or have contributed significantly to the influence of Quebec”. She must also have been dead for at least a year, which is much less than the five-year period required for the erection of a commemorative plaque, for example.
The delay allows us to “give time for the dust to settle” and “for the skeletons to come out of the closets sometimes,” says Mr. Smith. “So, not to react too emotionally, which could cause us to make mistakes. »
“Criticized toponyms”
For water points, mountains, roads, dams and government buildings, suggestions must be sent to the Commission de toponymie, which is responsible for all of Quebec. The latter must also approve all new toponyms created by municipalities.
Last year, the organization processed a total of 1,529 names. It’s a lot ? Maybe. But in theory, there are still a lot of places to name, notes Chantal Bouchard.
“In Quebec, there are three and a half million bodies of water, and only 2% are named. But we are not going to give names to the lakes if there is no need,” she warns.
There are also these places that we rename and rename. In Quebec City, the Commission is receiving more and more suggestions to change the names of controversial places.
This year, the Commission is also launching a reflection on what Frédéric Smith calls “criticized toponyms”.
This is the case of Moncton Avenue, whose presence was once again denounced by a group of citizens a few days ago. The name is that of a general who played a key role in the deportation of the Acadians.
Another more recent case: rue Christophe-Colomb, in Lower Town. Citizens have already asked the City to remove the name of the Spanish explorer because of the harm he did to Indigenous people in the past.
“It’s about finding a balance between the value of witnessing the societies that preceded us through toponymy and the right of citizens today to live in a city in which they recognize themselves,” summarizes Mr. Smith.
In Quebec, there are three and a half million bodies of water, and only 2% are named. But we are not going to give names to the lakes if there is no need.
All the same, “we are not overwhelmed by the demands, but we feel a trend taking hold,” Claude Lavoie insisted.
At the Commission de toponymie du Québec, it is mentioned that a sort of cleaning has already been done in the toponymic inventory. A few years ago, the ten or so toponyms that remained including the n-word were “deofficialized”, underlines Mme Bouchard. “Every time a name is problematic, it will be treated in a special way. »
Officials also seek to increase the place of certain under-represented groups in toponymy. Like women, cultural communities and Indigenous people.
“Obviously, as we don’t have many opportunities to commemorate each year, it’s a very slow process of catching up,” recognizes Frédéric Smith.
The City has also just given the name of Catherine Rhodes to a new street in Sillery, in the area of the former large estates which ran along Chemin Saint-Louis. “Mme Rhodes was the owner of Domaine Cataraqui until 1972. She is the last great chatelaine of a private estate in Sillery. »
A small street, near the Monique-Corriveau library, in Sainte-Foy, has also been named since 2021 after Marianna O’Gallagher, a Quebec historian well known for having documented the Irish past in the region. His family lived nearby. “There was a link with the territory, but also a tribute to a writer and historian,” notes the historian.