Fire Route Re-Naming
October 8, 2008
In 2007, McDougall Municipal Council set a strategic priority for all roads named Fire Routes to be re-named with proper names by September 2010. Private roads in McDougall were originally given the suffix of Fire Route to distinguish them from Municipal Roads. However, over the years this has caused much confusion with people not being able to distinguish a proper civic address from a Fire Route number. Therefore, on or before September 2010, ALL private roads currently called a Fire Route will be re-named to a proper name and the accompanying road sign will state private road on the sign. All suffixes attached to the suggested proper name, such as Road, Lane, Trail, Crescent, Court, Way, Line etc.., will be ultimately controlled by the Municipality to ensure that the road description is consistent. For more information, contact the FIRE CHIEF.
The Process for Re-naming a Fire Route
The Municipality of McDougall is requesting that persons residing on a road called a Fire Route, to get together with everyone living on the road and submit 3 proper name choices in order of preference that everyone agrees to. Then submit the choices to the Fire Chief in writing. The choices will be screened to the master road listing for the West Parry Sound Area and preference will be given to road names that are not duplicated. Once a proper name is accepted, the road will be posted with the change of name request for a period of 15 days. After this period, a By-law will be drafted and forwarded to Council for adoption. Once this is complete, the Municipality will install the new road signs, change the information in the Municipal system and the Fire Chief will change the information listed in BELL 911 for any phones linked to each civic address.
Submissions for road name suggestions from property owners will be accepted until the end of 2009. If at this time, any Fire Routes which the persons have not suggested a name choice for will be assigned a proper name by the Municipality. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL PROPERTY OWNERS ON FIRE ROUTES TO PLEASE SUBMIT PROPER ROAD NAME CHOICES IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION.
What You Must Know About Road Name Changes
When a Fire Route name changes to a proper name, this is a change of civic address. The property or house numbers all remain the same, just the road name changes. Example, if your civic address currently is 7 Fire Route 25 and the name changes to Mountain Road; then your new civic address is 7 Mountain Road. Since your civic address has changed, changes must also be made to your mailing address, Driver’s License, etc…. “IF” the property is your primary residence. If the property is your cottage, the only change that would be required is the change of information linked to your phone number if you have a land line and the Municipal registry.
McDougall Master Road Name List
Please review the current McDougall Road Name Registry before submitting your choices.