Unless
your personal property stands to benefit specifically by having the
lane named, the first step to naming the lane is contacting your neighbours.
Plan
a Meeting
A meeting is a good way to gauge your neighbours' interest in naming
the lane you share. This meeting can be a potluck in your house, a
chat on your porch or a barbeque in the lane.
Announce
the Meeting
It is rare for a lane to be shared by more than 100 houses, so getting
the word out should not be hard. Simply print a flyer announcing your
intent to name the lane and distribute it to your neighbour's mailboxes.
If your lane is shared by two streets, like most are, don't forget
to include the other side. Also, if you already have a name
in mind, it might be useful to include it on the flyer. You can look
at an example flyer.
At
the Meeting
This meeting is a good time to build neighbourliness. Having a named
lane contributes to the community's sense of place. Besides planning
to name the lane, you can also discuss things like intersection
repair and murals, which deter
graffiti, beautify the area and contribute to the well-being of residents.
One of the most important things to do at the meeting is:
Collect
Signatures!
While the City has honoured requests to name lanes and rename streets
to benefit just one individual, they are much more likely to accept
your proposal if you have the support of your neighbours. The proposal
will be made public for several weeks and, barring any kind of major
complaint, the request will be honoured and the lane will be named.
Next:
Choose a Name >>
Example
flyer:
ALLEY
NAMING PARTY!
We're
naming the alley behind our houses so we can turn a space
into a place. Come help choose the new name and
sign the petition to make it official!
105
Harbord St.
2 PM on Saturday, April 3rd 2006 |
|
footer
