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'N' word removed from bay name

By NICK GARDINER

Staff Writer

ATHENS -- An embarrassing colloquial name for a local bay has been replaced thanks to the efforts of a Charleston Lake resident.

Richard Berubé, a self-described municipal agitator and retired police officer, received word Monday from the Ontario Geographic Names Board that his campaign to rename Nigger Bay, which he's lived on for 14 years, as Sunset Bay has succeeded.

"It's great," said Berubé, who began his campaign a year ago and won the backing of area residents, the Charleston Lake Association, Athens Township municipal council and the Rev. Dr. Borden Purcell, parish priest of Holy Trinity Church and the former Ontario Human Rights Commissioner, who is a township resident.

After years of feeling embarrassed about telling people the name of the bay on which he lived, and hearing similar stories from other local residents, Berubé said the board's decision is rewarding.

"To be honest with you, I'm kind of proud," he said.

Berubé had a different feeling when he first floated the idea to neighbours in the early 1990s about changing the name.

When a letter to the editor appeared in The Recorder and Times questioning the suggestion, Berubé said he backed off because he was a relatively new resident to the lake and didn't want to stir up resentment.

This time around, however, he said the response has been mostly positive and the new name, Sunset Bay, came from discussions with neighbours about the often-stunningly colourful end of the evening over the bay on the northeast section of Charleston Lake.

"I don't want to say everybody likes it, but 95 per cent are in favour. It's just a few die-hard, older people (against the change)."

He said some people who argue against the change don't even have a residence on the bay.

"They say, 'It's always been called that. Why would you want to (change) that? Why? Because we live here."

He said the new name is inscribed on a map of Charleston Lake provided by the Ministry of Natural Resources and has received approval from minister David Ramsay who recognized the derogatory and offensive nature of the previous name.

The former name, although not officially recognized by the province, has shown up on some area maps but that won't be the case anymore.

"The beauty of this is it's official, now. It may take a few years for the people to get used to it but that's OK. Everything starts at one point in history."

He said he hopes to deliver the news formally to the township at the next regular council meeting November 6.

Berubé did make a courtesy call Tuesday to Athens Mayor Herb Scott to inform him of the decision.

Scott said all the credit for the change goes to Berubé, who was supported by council but did all the legwork himself to get the support of the community and carry the information as required to the provincial bodies who oversee such changes.

"I think it's great and Richard is to be congratulated. He did a wonderful job."

Scott said he grew up when the former name for the bay was used commonly but he agrees it is a relic that needed changing.

He said it's not unusual to find place names around the area that were once well-known but would now be considered offensive.

"I think these are just names that some of the older folk had and they stuck."

Even the old bay name may stick with some people but it will eventually disappear, said Scott.

"The next generation that comes along will know it as Sunset Bay," said the mayor.

I think Nigger Bay, has a nice ring to it.