Halifax Plan to Rename Lynwood Drive Sparks Backlash
A city proposal to rename Lynwood Drive in Halifax’s Rockingham neighbourhood has stirred strong emotions among residents — some calling it a safety necessity, others a cultural loss.
Halifax Regional Municipality says it chose Rockingham’s Lynwood Drive for renaming because it’s one of three identical street names in the region — the others located in Dartmouth and Brookside. Officials say the duplication has led to delayed emergency responses and mail mix-ups, posing potential safety risks.
The Rockingham stretch, with just 14 addresses, was chosen for renaming because it has the fewest households affected compared to Dartmouth’s 23 and Brookside’s 37.
But some residents say the decision overlooks the street’s deep historical and cultural roots.
“A piece of our identity”
Resident Patricia Arab, whose grandfather built his home on Lynwood Drive in the 1950s, says the street has been a pillar of Halifax’s early Lebanese immigrant community.
“It has been a place of refuge for many in the Lebanese community,” Arab said. “Erasing the name erases the legacy of the pioneers who built this neighbourhood.”
Arab’s home once served as a gathering spot for new Lebanese families settling in Halifax. She has since launched an online petition, garnering more than 350 signatures, urging city council to preserve the name.
The Canadian Lebanon Society of Halifax and Wadih Fares, the Honorary Consulate of Lebanon to Nova Scotia, have also written to council in support of keeping the original name.
Safety vs. heritage
Other residents, however, acknowledge the practical challenges of keeping three identical addresses within the same municipality.
Long-time resident Luke Woodhead said while changing the name will be inconvenient, he’s also faced confusion for years — with deliveries and mail often sent to the wrong Lynwood Drive.
“If FedEx can’t find us, will the ambulance go to the wrong one too?” he asked.
The city says its criteria for renaming include safety, replacement costs, and historical significance, but the street with the fewest affected addresses is generally selected.
New names — including ‘Meow Drive’
Residents were invited to propose new names, and a shortlist now includes:
Bennys Way
Rockingham Heights
Jupiter Drive
Monarda Hill
Rockwall Way
Northwind Drive
Deerview Drive
Meow Drive
Rotunda Ridge
The quirky “Meow Drive” suggestion has generated the most discussion — and laughter — among neighbours, though most are opposed to adopting it.
Residents will now vote on the options, with the final recommendation to be sent to Halifax Regional Council for approval early next year.
Citywide effort to reduce duplicates
Councillor Kathryn Morse said the renaming effort is part of a larger initiative to reduce street-name duplications — a long-standing issue since the 1996 municipal amalgamation.
“This change was reviewed by police, fire, and first responders, who all supported it as the safest decision,” Morse said.
Currently, Halifax has 45 street names that appear three or more times and 258 that are duplicated once.
To ease the transition, affected residents will receive 12 months of free mail redirection through Canada Post.
