By BRIDGET SCOTT
What’s in a name?
A truckload of grief, if you ask Casey Council, and a mob of angry Cranbourne East residents who don’t want their suburb name changed.
At a council meeting earlier this year, it was proposed that the area of Cranbourne East and Clyde North be renamed Casey Fields, Ridgway or Cameron.
The issue was first brought to council’s attention in 2010, when a petition was tabled calling for the boundary between the two suburbs to be moved.
In 2012, Council proposed new boundaries for what would become a new suburb in the City of Casey.
Late last month, residents received a letter from the council asking them to provide feedback on their preferred name.
Jean Perry of Cranbourne East said she didn’t wish to choose any of these and said a change in name would create an inconvenience.
“We don’t want any of them, we want it to stay as it is,” she said.
Since immigrating to Australia Jean and husband Ken have always lived in the area of Cranbourne, and have owned their current house in Cranbourne East for 11 years.
Mrs Perry said that she believes the development of new estates and housing in the area might be to blame for the proposed name change.
Mrs Perry said she felt as though the council weren’t being considerate of long-standing residents.
“It’s annoying, they don’t care any more,” she said.
Cameron and Ridgway were both chosen as options because of their historical significance to Cranbourne.
Alexander Cameron was an early settler in the area in the 1850s, and has been referred to as the ‘Father of modern Cranbourne’ and was on the Cranbourne Road board from 1863 to 1867.
The Ridgway family lived next door and was also a well-known landowner.
A survey similar to the most recent one was also conducted in 2011, but an increasing population in the area meant some current residents did not have the chance to have their say.
Mrs Perry is concerned about the future implications the name change may cause, such as having to chance her mailing and billing address.
The resident, who said she is not alone in her opinion, said she is considering putting together a petition for council.
“I know of a few people who feel the same way,” she said.
While Casey Fields is still an option, Cr Garry Rowe had previously said he believed this was not a suitable name for the areas.
He said he believed both Cameron and Ridgway were better options as they were both compatible with Cranbourne since the early 1800s.
Consultation between the council and the public is still ongoing, with no decision about the potential name change yet made.
