Item - 2014.TE29.23

This staff report is regarding a matter for which Community Council has delegated authority from City Council to make a final decision.

Parks, Forestry and Recreation has reviewed the proposal, and acknowledges the significant contributions Sharon, Lois and Bram have made.  As part of the research of the naming proposal, Parks, Forestry and Recreation reviewed the Council-approved Honourific and Street Naming Policy and found that this naming proposal met all of the criteria except for requirement 5.2.2 under "Eligibility and Criteria", which states "Honourific names shall normally be awarded posthumously to those individuals who have been deceased for at least two years, with exceptions to be approved by City Council."  The members of Sharon, Lois and Bram: Sharon Hampson, Lois Ada Lilienstein and Bram Morrison all currently reside in the June Rowlands Park neighbourhood in Toronto. Therefore, Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that this report be received for information.

However, at its meeting of December 5, 2013, Executive Committee adopted Item EX36.3, entitled "City of Toronto Honourific and Street Naming Policy", and in so doing has recommended to City Council, for its meeting of December 16, 2013, the following amendments to the policy:

a.         deletion of the current provision with respect to properties and street names which restricts posthumous street naming to those individuals who have been deceased for at least two years; and

b.         deletion of the current provision which restricts properties and street naming to living persons only in exceptional circumstances.

The deletion of the two above-noted restrictions "allows recently deceased individuals", as well as the "naming of living persons that have historical, cultural or social significance to be recognized."

If at the time of Toronto and East York Community Council's consideration of this item, City Council has adopted Item EX36.3, Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that the playground located in June Rowlands Park at 220 Davisville Avenue be named in honour of Sharon, Lois and Bram to honour their contribution to Canadian culture and to entertaining and nurturing children as well as promoting the rights of children.  This being the case, Community Council may amend the recommendation set out in this report to recommend adoption of the naming of the playground.