Name the Islands
Patterson Lake has five islands in the centre of the lake that are Crown Land and two islands near the north shoreline
that are privately owned. Ted Manning, the President of the Patterson Lake Association of
Lanark Highlands, proposed at the 2010 AGM that the Crown Land islands be named. Ted
checked with the Geographical Name Bureau and none of the islands have been officially named.
The only registered name on the lake is Fairs Creek. Ted has checked with the Geographical Names Bureau
and there are regulations to be followed concerning this proposal. For instance, an island
can not be named after a living person, the island name should have historical significance
or general agreement and recognition, and if it is to be accepted it should not duplicate other
names in the region so as to cause confusion. (For example there are already hundreds of loon
islands in the Province).
The only island that most lake users know by name now is Mary’s Island, the west island in the middle
of the lake. A good case could be made to name it officially “Mary’s Island”. Local tradition holds that Mary was a
First Nation’s women who lived on the island when the first European settlers were homesteading in the area in the 1820s.
The owners of the two private islands near the north shoreline will also be asked if they
wish to put forward names for their islands at the same time to receive official names.
The Association will seek a list of possibilities and then let members vote on the final choices
at the next AGM in 2011. The plan of the islands, identified by numbers is above. Send your
suggestions to Lorne Bowerman at lorne at bowerman dot ca. We are suggesting that names only
be accepted from those associated with or connected with Patterson Lake. We would like the name of the
suggester, his or her address, and the reason for suggesting the name or names. We will publish the
information. Anonymous suggestions will not be accepted.
A list of the suggested names will be listed in Island Name Suggestions.
Leave a Reply