Coverdale Park officially renamed Peter Delanty Park

In the fall of 2017, Council adopted a new Policy on how to name Streets, Parks and Facilities.  One of the criteria is that: the nominated individual shall have demonstrated excellence, courage or exceptional service to the citizens of the Town of Cobourg, the Province of Ontario, and/or Canada, including past Mayors and veterans of military conflicts.  Based on Peter Delanty’s service as Mayor from 2000 to 2010, and continued service in many of the Town’s committees, Peter fits the criterion and now has a Park named after him.  Gil said that he and Peter were on Council together and he can personally testify to Peter’s contribution to the Town. In his youth, Peter spent a lot of time at Coverdale Park and at the renaming ceremony, Mayor Gil Brocanier shared reminiscences about how Peter was very competitive. 

Peter Delanty ParkGil read out a long list of committees that Peter has served on, most recently the 2017 150 celebrations committee.  Peter’s family has a long history of involvement in the Town;  Peter’s grandfather was on Council in 1896 and his father served on council for four terms including as Mayor from 1933 to 1936.  There is already a Delanty Street but it’s named after Peter’s father.

Peter said that this was a humbling experience and that he felt honoured.

At the renaming event, all Council members were there (except Forrest Rowden) as well as Peter’s family including young grandchildren (see photos below).

The park on Coverdale Avenue has a baseball (or softball) diamond, tennis courts, children’s play equipment and washrooms.  Peter said that later this fall a new Red Maple tree would be planted in the Park.  He thanked Gil and the Parks Manager Jason Johns for making the renaming happen.

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Kim MJ
5 years ago

Am I the only one who thinks it’s a little odd to have renamed Coverdale Park (on Coverdale Avenue), to Delanty Park, when there is a park RIGHT ON Delanty Road? So now, Delanty Park will be on Coverdale Avenue, while Fitzhugh Park is on Delanty Road… 🤣

Just wondering
5 years ago

Why change a name for an exist park ?
They should name a new park after him

Just wondering
Reply to  Just wondering
5 years ago

How many of us still call the Roger Centre Skydome, and who going to call the ACC , Scotiabank place 🤔

Pamela Jackson
5 years ago

As a former Councillor who worked alongside Peter Delanty as Mayor I am delighted to hear this news. He was excellent, to work with, capable of making tough decisions, not all of them popular, He brought a sense of decisiveness back to Victoria Hall, something not seen since the days of Angus Read. I would have enjoyed
a stroll through Peter Delanty Park in early July had I known about it.
Pamela Jackson

Tim
Reply to  Pamela Jackson
5 years ago

You can underline “not all of them popular”.

Durka
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

You really are insufferable.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Durka
5 years ago

Love it, Durka!
Russia had Ivan The Terrible, Transylvania had Vlad The Impaler.
Cobourg has Tim The Insufferable.
Can we make a tourist attraction out of this?

manfred s
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

one thing that seems apparent to me is that without comments, and the thinking behind them, such as those contributed by contrarian individuals, are helpful in any discussions of a public and unrestricted nature. Unjustified, irrelavent, annoying, whatever they are taken to be, they’re still needed. What’s also important is that they can be challenged with equal freedom.

cornbread
5 years ago

Will this park be lite up at night with the famous “Law Suit Lights”?

Bill Thompson
5 years ago

A present mayor ( former deputy mayor of that mayor ) nominating him for a street name.
Does that not project a little “in-house” procedure in appearance?.

Johnny
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

but you dint run for mayor?
hoped you woulda.

Tim
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

It’s kind of like a pope canonizing a former pope. If they don’t do it, who will?

Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

“the nominated individual shall have demonstrated excellence, courage or exceptional service to the citizens of the Town of Cobourg”. Congratulations Peter Delanty!
Our current designated sage, Grahame Woods, started a smear campaign against then Mayor Delanty over the fountain/rink project in 2008.
“It is a project of Rube Goldberg proportions that gives the expression, a work-in-progress, a bad name. It is Mayor Peter Delanty’s magnificent obsession and one has to wonder, why?
What is it about the project that has made him so intransigent, so dismissive of the thoughts, ideas, the wishes of a large proportion of the electorate that returned him to office such a very short time ago?”
Time for an apology Mr. Woods?

ben
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Hey Walter perhaps not all of us agree to the deification of Peter Delanty, well not to the degree that Mr Brocanier does!!

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  ben
5 years ago

Hi Ben, Old Bean!
Deification? Nah!
Sainthood? Nah!
Knighthood? Nah!
Life-size marble statue? Nah!
Just a Park, Ben!

Tim
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Apology? Mr. Woods is to be applauded. The fountain/rink is nothing but a pathetic ongoing waste of taxpayers’ money. The fountain destroys the view of the lake and the rink is soft, like your head.
When Gil Brocanier says he “can personally testify to Peter’s contribution to the Town”, that says it all. Rather than naming parks after these mayors, it might be better to ‘honour’ them by putting their names (a hand-painted sign would do) on every stupid project and every property they’ve rezoned so we can see the disasterous impact they’ve really had on this town.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

:..soft, like your head.”

You don’t have to apologize for the personal insult. Everyone knows how miserable you are about so many many things in this town,

The fountain destroys the view of the lake …

What a crock. Bird Archer was there for decades destroying the view. And on the other side of Bird Archer were the coal piles and storage sheds destroying the view. The big tree by the creek, and cars going by on the Esplanade, and trees and hedges along the harbourfront,. all interfere with the view to the lake. Then one has to see thru the sailboat masts to finally see the lake. And you whine about a small streak of water “destroys the view of the lake.” Sheesh Timwit, your head is even softer than Walter’s.

The fountain/rink is nothing but a pathetic ongoing waste of taxpayers’ money.”

And yet in the winter, the rink is filled with families (taxpayers) enjoying a skate, the sound of children’s laughter as they learn to skate. It provides just a tad coolness to the air in summer, and shimmers for children to splash in it (illegally), toy boats, surrounded by a Farmer’s Market. Methinks the vast majority of taxpayers not only approve the rink/waterfountain, they utilize it and enjoy it. Every Town has its resident miserable coot; I guess you’re that, since you auditioned for the role with such authenticity.

You swagger in your comments with all sorts of rough tough talk, like a miserable bully stomping on cupcakes. Loosen up Tim and have some fun, display a smile once in a while.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

soft head?
Craniotabes is a condition where the skulls of infants and small children are thin and soft.
Sometimes a sign of incipient rickets.
So yeah Mikey, maybe this is ‘National Make Fun Of Kids With Birth Defects Week’?
We just didn’t know.

Tim
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Perspective, Wally. That’s what the phenomenum is called when an object closer to you appears bigger. That is why your hand, an inch from your face can blot out an entire mountain range, that is why that ugly fountain you have such a vested interest in defending can indeed destroy my view of the lake. I live on one of the greatest bodies of fresh water anywhere in the world and I like to look at it. I don’t want to look instead at some vanity project which decorates the backyards of condominium owners and must be maintained in perpetuity by the taxpayers of Cobourg.
Reflected light, Wally, that’s what happens when the sun hits the myriad tiny facets of water created by that miserable vertical trickle. Each reflected sunbeam hits the eye at a different angle and blinds the viewer to everything in his or her field of vision, including the lake.
I’m described by you and no doubt thought of by others on this blog as ‘miserable’ – someone who complains constantly and likes nothing. What I am miserable about is the appalling waste I see every single day in this town. Money the council would sooner squander on consultants than spend on traffic lights near a school. Hundreds of thousands of dollars down the drain annually for business plans, master plans, cultural plans, etc. while our infrastructure is rotting out before our eyes. Catering to visitors instead of the people who live here. Easy rezoning for developers which makes them rich and ruins the lives of the people around their ghastly projects. Tax breaks, grants and ten-year interest free loans instead of fines for well-off heritage property owners who allow our downtown to molder when we have a housing storage. Ridiculous, worthless art projects built when there are important things to spend taxpayers money on. Cobourg is a developers, contractors and scammers paradise.
The one thing that makes this town unique is our beautiful lake and it should be inviolate.

Gerald
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

“.. local politicians to decorate the backyards of condominium owners and maintained in perpetuity by the taxpayers of Cobourg.” You are stretching it, Tim. Let’s be clear. Rotary put the park in for the people of Cobourg. Condo owners were not involved! There is enough blame on condo owners without your ignorant comment. Please give the querulous attitude a break.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

What a crock whiney story about a slender waterspout. Yes, you are miserable, and the best fact on the ground is that so many families love and enjoy Rotary Park with fountain and rink. Cry your heart out Timwit.

Concerned
Reply to  Tim
5 years ago

…..by the way, I wonder why the fountain hasn’t been working for a few weeks now?

Albert
Reply to  Concerned
5 years ago

Get off your butt. phone the Parks Department and tell all of us!

Gerald
Reply to  Concerned
5 years ago

As of Tuesday, July 31, it is working.

John Draper
Reply to  Concerned
5 years ago

Stewey has been banned for using an invalid email address. He should email me at [email protected] to get re-instated. And in future, use a valid email address.

Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Chris Garrett Park, Chris Garrett Way, Chris Garrett Bridge. Naming should be limited to ONE time. Only Queen Victoria exceeds the Chris Garrett glut in our public domain. Victoria Park, Victoria Street, Victoria Hall, Victoria Square. Rule Britannia!

Bill Thompson
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

I believe Constable Chris Garrett was a policeman not military

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

He was a constable, and I made no comment suggesting he was military; neither is this thread limited to issues of the military.

Lyle
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Cheap shot Waldo

Durka
Reply to  Lyle
5 years ago

I tend to agree with him. The park was made to honour Chris Garrett and that should be enough. To have so many things named after him just becomes silliness and takes away from the meaning of the park.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Lyle
5 years ago

Yes, it is a cheap shot. I’m not convinced that so many streets, parks and bridges are named after a municipal employee is appropriate. Chris Garrett is unworthy of so many ‘honours’ for a small town. Three namings, when one is good enough. So when will the line be drawn, after there is a Chris Garrett Community Centre, Chris Garrett museum, Chris Garrett Burb? Enough is enough. Three namings for a municipal employee cheapens the naming process for the Town.

Kyle
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Chris Garrett unworthy? He gave his life and saved a number of people in Cobourg who were going to be murdered. How dare you say unworthy of so many honours.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Kyle
5 years ago

He may well be worthy of one naming, but not THREE. That puts him one less than Queen Victoria. One lost their life, the other built an empire.

Rob
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Wally – I think your point is made and now your venturing into a sticky area bordering on disrespectful. Everything before the word BUT is forgotten when you make those statements….best advice here is to leave it alone.

Bill Thompson
5 years ago

How many streets/parks have been named after military veterans .?

Suzanne Seguin
Reply to  Bill Thompson
5 years ago

Hi Bill, The following streets have been named after WWI veterans who are on Cobourg’s Roll of Honour (Deaths only): Adam Street (Fred M. Adams), Allen Street (Arthur E. Allen and Ernest E. Allen), Angrove Street (Samuel Angrove), Bennett Street (Charles Bennett), Bolster Street (Major H.G. Bolster), Brooks Street (B. Brooks), Campbell Street (Major David Campbell; Douglas and James Campbell), Dobeny Street (Edward Dobeny), Earl Street (George Earl), Fairhurst Street (John Fairhurst), Fitzgerald Street (W. E. Fitzgerald), Fradd Street (K.M. Fradd), Gale Street (Joseph Gale), Hamilton Avenue (Harry Hamilton), Harper Street (W.W. Harper), Henderson Street Norman Henderson), Hornbeck Street (Charles Hornbeck), Hutton Street (Elmer Hutton), McCauley Street (William McCauley), McDonald Street (Thomas McDonald), McGinnis Street (Joseph McGinnis), McGrath Street (Major McGrath), McKend Street (George McKend), McNaughton Street (Edward McNaughton), Pratt Street (Cal Pratt and Fred Pratt), Scott Street (William Scott), Skill Street (H.G. Skill), Smith Road (Smokey Smith, David Smith and Thomas Smith), Staples Street (Harvey Staples), Sweetman Street (James Sweetman).

Durka
Reply to  Suzanne Seguin
5 years ago

I’m slightly confused by this Suzanne. Most of those are not streets in Cobourg. Are they names that will be used in the future?

Suzanne Seguin
Reply to  Durka
5 years ago

Hi Durka,
This is the official list from the Building and Planning Department of the Town of Cobourg dated November 10, 2010 and updated in 2016 to include WWII and Boer War Veterans (as endorsed by the Cobourg Legion). The purpose of the policy is to establish a systematic and consistent approach for the official naming or renaming of streets and road allowances within the Town of Cobourg. There are also several former mayors on this list. Many of these streets were not familiar to me as well, so the policy is in place once the Town assumes a new road and has a list to draw upon for naming.

ben
Reply to  Suzanne Seguin
5 years ago

So the question is how many of the existing streets are named after veterans? The many streets listed are just figments of developers imaginations, who until being nudged by a citizen request four years ago, had never even considered the idea. I understand New Amhearst agreed to the idea but as yet no streets.

Checking the Naming policy it appears that I have answered my own question. Only one Street – Campbell St. and one Avenue – Hamilton Avenue, two in total, have Veterans’ names. And they were named over fifty years ago. We are still waiting for new streets and new names. It should be mandatory for developers to follow Town policy for every street and they should not be allowed to submit their own names for streets.

Say What?
Reply to  ben
5 years ago

Streets in the latest phase of New Amherst are named after WWI veterans.
Take a drive through the newest phase.
They even appear to have used their full names.

ben
Reply to  Say What?
5 years ago

Then the developer lived up to his word when the Town assumes the roads he will receive his due.

Reply to  Suzanne Seguin
5 years ago

It’s wonderful to see that many of the town streets are, or will be, named after past and present local citizens. In terms of the Pratt name, I believe that “Cal” Pratt refers to Cecil Pratt, the grandson of Thomas Pratt of Pratt’s Bakery. He was killed in action during WWI. Fred Pratt? Unless I’m wrong, he didn’t die during WWI, but went on to live into the 40’s. Maybe, I’m missing something.. Many members of the Pratt family were involved in running businesses in town (Pratt’s Bakery, Pratt’s Mill). They were also involved in local politics and one served as Postmaster . It’s nice to see that Cobourg recognizes the citizens of the past :).

Suzanne Seguin
Reply to  Susie-Q
5 years ago

Hi Susie-Q, Thanks for the info on the Pratt name. As part of Cobourg’s Armistice’18 Commemoration I have been researching all the men who volunteered from Cobourg. I did find Cecil Chambers Pratt (Bombardier) who died on August 9, 1917 in small village of Bully-Grenay, France when an ammunition storage was blown up. Fred Pratt may be F.W.D. Pratt (Bomber), a member of the Third Draft, Cobourg Heavy Battery who left Cobourg to great fanfare on March 28th, 1916 at 10pm. I would love to hear about any other info you have on the Pratt family or any of the other families named above, for our research. Please email me at [email protected]. Thanks.