By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The fall-out from the recent news from across the pond has reached Cobourg, with a notice of motion by Councillor Adam Bureau at Wednesday’s meeting.
Bureau’s motion concerns the large plaque on a large boulder at the west entrance of the C. Gordon King Centre, saying, “Duke of York Square named for the Duke and Duchess of York to commemorate their visit to Cobourg in the Sesquicentennial Year of the Incorporation of Cobourg July 19, 1987.”
The square was so named during a royal visit that year, when the C. Gordon King Centre was eight years in the future and the site was only a vacant open square.
Bureau’s motion noted that “on Nov. 3, 2025, by letters patent under the great seal of the realm King Charles declared that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor shall no longer be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness and the titular dignity of Prince.
“Now therefore be it resolved that council direct staff to remove the title and plaque at Duke of York Square from the lands surrounding the Cobourg Public Library, and
“Further that council direct staff to report back on potential renaming options for the lands.”
“It’s on the floor, no need for debate,” Mayor Lucas Cleveland said – before the debate began on the last paragraph.
“I thought we could take this opportunity to turn something negative into a positive,” Bureau said.
“Maybe we could ask the public to maybe have a contest to rename it, or something like that, in the future. We could involve the library and the municipality.
“I think it could be something good.”
Councillor Randy Barber pointed out that there have been 14 Dukes of York.
“This is not named for Andy – Andrew – it’s named for the Duke of York,” Barber stated.
“I have a little issue with you saying the idea of changing the name. At this point, there may be a great deal of support just to leave it the way it is.”
Deputy Mayor Nicole Beatty pointed out a previous project to re-evaluate historically based names that might need to be changed, but never heard anything back on it. At any rate, Councillor Miriam Mutton said, that kind of thing might open the door on a slew of requests for renamings.
No time line was debated for the staff report on this matter.
