Streets named after known racist figures can be a reminder of a horrific past, says the president of the university's Black student association.
The street in question is Dundas Lane, which connects College Street and East Ring Road on the University of Guelph campus.
Earlier this month Toronto city council voted to rename Dundas Street because of its relation to Henry Dundas, a historical figure known to have delayed the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
In an email Wednesday, U of G spokesperson Lori Bona Hunt said Dundas Lane and the student residence adjacent to it is named for Dundas County, which in turn was named after Henry Dundas.
Bona Hunt said the university is aware of the effort to rename Dundas Street in Toronto, as well as the effort by the City of Guelph to inventory and look at street names through an anti-racism lens.
"We will be having discussions regarding the name of this road and residence in that context," said Bona Hunt.
Angel Culmer, president of the Guelph Black Students Association said that group is not actively seeking to change the name of Dundas Lane or any other street.
"For those who are aware of the history, these names are a reminder of a horrific past," said Culmer. "Their enduring presence could also be seen as condoning the actions of the person or rewriting history to paint them in a savior light, when in fact they were the opposite for a large group of people."
Those who are aware of the history of the name "can experience feelings of betrayal and exclusion, as the harms committed by the person are being erased instead of being atoned for," said Culmer.
Changing the name of a street can be a step that is taken, said Culmer.
"However, there a so many more left to be taken before we begin heading in the right direction," Culmer said.
