Name of residential road in Kingston deemed to be ‘outdated and derogatory’ set to change

Kingston City Council has voted in favour of renaming Indian Road to Aki Road, an Ojibwe term that means ‘earth/land/ground’ when translated into English. In their meeting of Tuesday, June 16, Council also agreed to name Indian Road Park to Odamino Park, which translated from Ojibwe to English means ‘to play’. 

The decision comes after Kingston City Council brought forward a Motion in June 2025, asking City staff to initiate a renaming process for Indian Road, Indian Road Park and two parkettes that also incorporate the name Indian Road, deeming the term “outdated and derogatory” by present-day standards and within the context of advancing Indigenous reconciliation.   
 
City staff were asked to engage with multiple groups, including residents living on Indian Road who would be affected by the name change, Indigenous service organizations and Nations with a recognized relationship to the land.  

As directed by the original motion, staff reached out to multiple Indigenous Nations in the region for input and feedback and invited people from the Indigenous community in Kingston to participate in a series of talking circles, where discussions about the possible renaming of Indian Road was the focus.  
 
City staff conducted outreach to residents who live on the road and invited them to share comments and provide feedback in-person, online and over the phone. 

As part of this process, staff identified several municipalities in Ontario and across Canada that have changed street names in efforts to advance Indigenous reconciliation. 

“Many people have been involved in the work that Council initiated a year ago almost to the day. The City would like to thank everyone who has taken time to share their thoughts and opinions on a matter that is challenging, as we acknowledge there are a range of different opinions and perspectives,” says Ruth Noordegraaf, the City’s Director of Community Development, Wellbeing & IIDEA. “We are grateful to people from the local Indigenous community for being part of this lengthy process and also to the residents who live on the road and gave their input during the engagement process.”   

Staff have also recommended the southern portion of Indian Road connecting to Princess Street be renamed to McMahon Avenue. Next steps will involve the physical changes to street and park signs, provide all residents with a compensation pay and support with the next steps of changing street name documentation, and the establishment of a commemoration plaque in Strathcona Park commemorating the history of the area.