Hudson’s Bay Slough -What’s In a Name
Prince George, B.C.- It was Shakespeare who penned the question “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
But that may not apply to a park that is referred to as a slough.The PG Naturalists Club requested a name change, pointing out the definition of the word “slough” is”
1. A depression or hollow, usually filled with deep mud or mire.
2. A stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond.
3. A state of deep despair or moral degradation
For the past two years, the Prince George Naturalists Club has been working hard to make the Hudson’s Bay Slough into a wetland nature park and they have made significant progress.
With interpretative signage, and platforms, visitors can watch ducks, muskrat and beaver in their natural habitat.
This summer, a rehabilitation of the area will include plantings, a high deck and boardwalk.
A lot of work, a lot of donations, but the one thing that needs to be changed is, the name.
Known as the ‘slough’, the club would like the wetland to be renamed the Hudson’s Bay Wetland Nature Park.
The process to rename a park is not difficult says City Manager Kathleen Soltis “Simply some changes to signage and some documentation, so it is not significant”.
Councillor Jillian Merrick put forth the motion for the name change and suggested the Club look at landing a grant from the Northern Development Initiative Trust to further their work..
Mayor Lyn Hall congratulated the Club for its work “This is an unbelievable spot, and for anyone who has not been there, it is well worth the walk.”
Council has unanimously approved the name change.
Comments
PC Hipsters
Yes they have arrived in PG
Whatever
It will always be the slough to me…lol
With muskrat and beaver inhabiting the area it will remain a slough, marsh, swamp, or perhaps a lagoon. However some citizens still call downtown a great area so in Prince George anything goes.
The reason it was called a slough is because it is a slough. Some referred to it as a backwater. When the Fraser is high, water would back up into the slough and would cover the old wooden bridge that used to go over the slough on Queensway into South Fort George. The area of water on the West side of Queensway was (and is) also referred to as a slough, and further West on the West side of Highway 16 in the area just below the High School was a huge slough that was referred to as the Chinamans Slough, because a Chinese fellow had a pig farm in that area.
It doesn’t sit well with some of the older people in this area, when people try to change the history of the City to suit their own needs.
As has been said many times before. ** you can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig **
Perhaps they should name it the South Fort Slough Nature Park. For those who might be interested this **slough** has been home to many varieties of wild life for over 150 years.
PS. The 150 year remark was in regards to the arrival of the white man. Naturally the area has been home to First Nations, and Wildlife for thousands of years.
2. A stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond…
Is that not what this location is?
Palopu , the wildlife bit would be in the billions . I love the semantics game . When is a sough not a sough ? Tax , fee ? Fee , tax ? Gumbo by any other name , will still take yer boot .
I suggest the perhaps Council should take some time to look into the history of various places in the City before they vote to make a change.
They should keep in mind that South Fort George or Fort George was established 50 years before Prince George, and that area has a lot of history.
They should rename it ‘Hudson’s Bay Needle Exchange’ , since so much of it occurs in the trails near it.
Something of interest.
**The Spruce City Wildlife Association** was chartered in 1970. Its first project was the improvement of waterfowl nesting areas on Hudson Bay Slough in South Fort George**
Fast forward 45 years and some **newcomers** want to change the name and take credit for the wildlife in the Slough.
Any bodies under the mud in that there slough?
Watched seaplanes land and dock at the mouth years ago, South Fort was a fun place to hang out. Soap box derby was fun too.
You guys are missing the point. How is IPG suppose to market a “beautiful lake with mountain views in the heart of Prince George” if it’s just a lowly slough? :)
NMG. Your right. Usually they take pictures of the Ancient Forest, or some Mountain in the McBride area when they are marketing Prince George.
Yawn.
metalman.
Right on Griz :-)
“The process to rename a park is not difficult says City Manager Kathleen Soltis “Simply some changes to signage and some documentation, so it is not significant”.”
Oh ye of little faith, we will make it financially significant, this is Prince George after all. Just think of all those maps that need updating never mind the signage, easily into the tens of thousands once this city is done with it. And a ceremony or two to mark the name change…
Isn’t there an aeration fountain in the slough on the west side of Queensway? Does anybody remember what it was supposed to do?
“For the past two years, the Prince George Naturalists Club has been working hard to make the Hudson’s Bay Slough into a wetland nature park and they have made significant progress”
“With interpretative signage, and platforms, visitors can watch ducks, muskrat and beaver in their natural habitat.”
If the Prince George Naturalists Club has been working hard to make the slough into a wetland nature park, how can anyone say “visitors can watch ducks, muskrat and beaver in their natural habitat” ?
Comments for this article are closed.