North Bay’s Marathon Beach is changing names.
Council has unanimously approved a motion to rename the beach in honour of Chief Shabogesic, who was a signatory to the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850.
Councillor Chris Mayne says Tracey Restoule originally shared the idea with them, to find a location in North Bay to officially name in the Ojibway language.
“We’ve been working on it since November, speaking with a number of members of Nipissing First Nation who have been very supportive,” he says. “It turns out Chief Shabogesic, whom the beach will be named after, is someone who is very well respected in Nipissing First Nation.”
The beach, which is located on Memorial Drive along the shore of Lake Nipissing will be renamed “Shaabgiizhig Jiigbiik” in Ojibway.
It will also be known as “Shabogesic Beach.”
Mayne says the move recognizes Nipissing First Nation heritage as an important part of the city’s history.
“Once the name sign goes up with a plaque, for people who walk the waterfront boardwalk or spend time on the beach, it’ll give them an opportunity to just think and reflect and realize people have walked on this beach and literally lived here for thousands of years before we have,” he says.
The current name of the beach, Marathon, carried over following the city’s purchase in 1984 of the lands from Marathon Realty, the Canadian Pacific Railway’s former commercial real estate subsidiary.
