Help name Edmonton's LRT lines

The City of Edmonton is creating an opportunity for Edmontonians to become involved in the naming of both current and future LRT lines. By the time construction is complete, the city will have five different lines, and they're asking for your help to name them. 

Transportation Manager, Bob Boutilier, says with the arrival of new LRT lines, names will help people get around, and what better way then to ask those who use the system. He says the city is asking for names that relate to the destination of each particular line. 

"Is it something that you would be able to tell people who come to the city to take this line, or that line, and they'll know what you're talking about." 

However, the naming approach is not pleasing everyone. 

Dwayne Donald is an assistant professor at the University of Alberta and works with the city's aboriginal relations. He believes the way the city is going about the naming process seems rather trivial. 

"I wish the people who were making these decisions would just be more comfortable with taking a more localized approach, rather than trying to glamorize (the process.)" 

He says Edmonton has a large indigenous population and consultation with the aboriginal community would be a great option. 

"It would be quite easy for (the city) to get a group of elders together and have a series of conversations with them," Donald says adding, "I wouldn't say that every single name has to be aboriginal but they could have a mix to kind of balance things out." 

University of Alberta marketing instructor, Jim Swaffield, says there may be value in getting feedback from the public. 

"If you get a thousand people saying that the line going to the university, they think of it a certain way and there's a common theme there, they might think that might resonate well with other citizens." 

However, Swaffield is somewhat wary, saying the city shouldn't use the public's feedback if it isn't meanigful. 

"The key to branding is to have something in the name associated with the destination." 

The City is keeping the naming process completely open to the public. Winning submissions will go before the city's naming committee for review, then to city council for the final decision. 

There are anumber of ways to get invovled. The survey can be taken online until August 15th, or by phone at 780-447-3439 or 311. The winners will be announced in the fall.