EDITORIAL: Tamworth has Drop Bear Lane, Gunnedah has the transient Santa Street and now Tonga has Gunnedah Avenue – surely the ultimate compliment by our Pacific partners.
The road naming in Kolomotu’a – Gunnedah’s official sister city in Tonga – came as a complete to the visiting Gunnedah delegation which was in the country for an employment expo.
Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey described it as a great testament to the relationship between our community and Kolomotu’a.
Given the recent naming in Tonga, it begs the question should Gunnedah reciprocate the offer and name a street after their city? Kolomotu’a Close perhaps?
Maybe we could give the honour to the first employee signed to start work in Gunnedah under the new agreement … just imagine the stories they would have to tell the grandkids in later years.
But where would the sign be located in Gunnedah? In a new street in a new development?
Perhaps we could ask Gunnedah residents to give us their best suggestion for the Tongan-themed street name?
Maybe the Tongan street name could be relocatable like Gunnedah’s Santa Street – awarded each year to the best presented Christmas themed street in town – which incidentally, must surely have a contender other than Kurrajong Road this year?!
Perhaps there could be community competitions in Gunnedah to see where the new Tongan Street would go – a festival of sorts with the best traditional attire, the best traditional dance, best Tongan food – maybe a decathlon with a combination of many events?
Remember the fun Tamworth council had the naming of its Drop Bear Lane – the whole community was behind the initiative – some a little too much and decided to remove the sign for themselves.
A Tongan street would not only raise the profile of Gunnedah’s sister city partnership – drawing more attention and resources to the initiative from funding sources – but also help forge cultural links between the two countries, something council is actively seeking to achieve.
What do you think? Should we also have a sign in Gunnedah to acknowledge our sister city partners?
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