Dear Editor,
“Should we call our local [watercourse] the South Branch or Kemptville Creek?”
No one is asking that question but you, David. The rest of us know that it’s Kemptville Creek. It’s called Kemptville Creek on every map I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been here since 1976. Calling Kemptville Creek the south branch of something else is wrong because:
- It’s pejorative, like calling Kemptville the south suburb of Ottawa.
- Kemptville Creek can be easily located geographically, while the South Branch River could be anywhere and means nothing.
- It’s hardly big enough to be called a river.
- Kemptville Creek has 2 tributary branches: North Kemptville Creek and South Kemptville Creek. If this watercourse were called the South Branch, the 2 branches of it would be called the North Branch of the South Branch (or the North South Branch) and the South Branch of the South Branch (or the South South Branch).
If you want to improve the tourist recognition of your community, how about changing your municipal name? The Township of North Grenville: how’s that for a tourist destination?
Stew Hamill
Merrickville
