On May 3, Russell Township released a statement regarding the namesake of the municipality. The original namesake of the township, Peter Russell, was found to not uphold the values of the community and its residents, so two years ago the township created a Namesake Rededication Committee to find a new historical figure to distinguish.
After careful consideration, the Namesake Committee has recommended that instead of settling on one person to honour, the Township should simply dedicate its name to any individual with the name of “Russell” that “would have helped develop our community into the jewel we love today.”
Council’s decision is not an attempt to erase our history. We acknowledge it and publicly state we are striving to do better. We learn, we adapt, we evolve, and we will create the future we want for ourselves.I thank the Namesake Rededication Committee and the community for their involvement in this process. I look forward to continued engagement in this area through our Community Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.”
