Street renaming up for debate as development expands into Woolwich

A group of residents in Woolwich don’t want to see their street renamed, but up against a popular employer in the township and a major regional expansion, it may be an uphill battle.

The Township of Woolwich is considering options for renaming a portion of Menno Street at the Fountain intersection. A short portion of Menno Street will be decommissioned once the Ottawa Street expansion project is completed.

That expansion has plans to connect Ottawa as it runs through Kitchener, over the Grand River, eventually meeting up with Woolwich Street and Fountain Street, connecting the residents of the future Madwest Subdivision in Breslau to the rest of Waterloo Region.

That Ottawa expansion would see Menno Street be broken into two pieces, the western portion housing 16 residences, the eastern portion housing Conestoga Meats, a major employer in Woolwich Township and Waterloo Region.

Conestoga Meats wants to retain the Menno Street name as not to disrupt their business, both in Waterloo Region and internationally.

The residents west of Fountain Street want to retain the character and history of their community, noting that they’re already facing plenty of change due to road construction and future residential construction.

Policy states that street names must be applied to continuous roads, and that roads that do not connect may not have the same name.

If the residential portion of Menno Street is to be renamed, potential options include Mattell, Stoermer, and Mader’s. If the portion of Menno Street east of Fountain Street is to be renamed following the Ottawa Street expansion, the eastern side would be renamed Ottawa Street between Fountain Street and Shantz Hill Road.

The decision will come back to township council in two weeks.