Saskatoon city council votes unanimously to name bridge after Gordie Howe

Saskatoon city council voted unanimously on Monday to rename the Circle Drive South Bridge after Gordie Howe.

Ward 1 Coun. Darren Hill introduced a motion to bypass the city’s regular naming procedure and fast track the change, pending approval from the Howe family.

Following the vote, Hill said he was pleased to get the full backing of council. 

“(Howe’s) contribution to this community – he was by far more than just a sports figure to Saskatoon, he was about community,” Hill said.

In his original motion, Hill called for the city to review its naming procedures. In particular, he said he wanted to see work begin on naming the North Commuter Parkway bridge currently under construction.  

“I want that bridge named before it opens,” he said.

Hill said the bridge would be a strong candidate for a name recognizing the calls to action issued by the federal Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on residential schools.

“I would like to hear from the community on what names they would like to attach to that bridge in recognition of the TRC calls to action,” he said.