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Ten years ago the village considered a name change

Ten years ago this month, the mayor of the time and several other Nakuspians were in support of changing the village’s name.

Trisha Shanks

Arrow Lakes News

Ten years ago this month, the mayor of the time and several other Nakuspians were in support of changing the village’s name formally by adding the words Hot Springs to the word Nakusp. Obviously, it didn’t happen, but at the time it was their belief that with the Olympics being hosted in Vancouver in 2010, the name change might have improved the village’s economy. Nakusp Hot Springs was thought to have a better “curb appeal” and might lead to more visitors spending tourism dollars possibly even attracting people to relocate to the area, which was beginning to experience an economic downturn. Other locations named in this way include Fairmont Hot Springs, Harrison Hot Springs and Radium Hot Springs.

A petition containing 123 signatures was prepared and presented at the February 10, 2005 village Council meeting to officially change the name of Nakusp to Nakusp Hot Springs. Tad Derbyshire, former owner of the Kuskanax Lodge (now the K2 Rotor Lodge) attended as a delegate for the change.

After heated debate for and against the idea, Councillor Karen Hamling insisted on a referendum to be held in conjunction with the municipal election in November of that year to evaluate how many of the eligible voters were for and against the name change. The results were not in favour: 607 against and a measly 87 for the change.

“We advertise the hot springs as it is and I think we do a pretty good job of it. My family goes back six generations over 110 years, and it has always been known as Nakusp,” said Janis Dahlen, who was a village councillor at the time.

Stefan Klopp wrote in a letter to the Arrow Lakes News, “Rather than wasting its time (and money) on changing its name the village should develop a solid marketing plan for the future, especially if it wants to cash in on the Olympics. Come 2010 you are going to see an influx of tourism into BC, and I can guarantee you that the towns and villages that have a well thought out and executed marketing campaign will far outperform those with fancy names.”

Hamling herself was relieved that the village listened to its citizens.

“Ironically, due to some concerns raised by the Health Department, we had to close the hot springs for eight months following that election. As a brand new council and with me as a new mayor, that was a huge decision.”

It seems that things did work out for the best — for a town being renamed Nakusp Hot Springs not to have a hot springs for such a long period of time directly after the name change would have indeed been unfortunate.