A community-backed push to change the name of Shelley Foreshore to honour long-time former Mayor Dr Mick Lekias has been deferred until August.
At the Annual General Meeting of Electors on February 2, community member G Beacroft and F Morgan moved a motion that that the City of Canning rename the Shelley Foreshore as Dr Michael (Mick) Lekias Reserve or Park, with the motion carried 33 to 0.
At the council meeting of March 15, however, the council voted to defer the motion for six months, with the interim Chief Executive to contact Dr Lekias’ eldest daughter, Melissa, to determine if there is family support for the proposal.
If council decided to support the renaming, the City would need to follow the State Government’s Geographic Names Committee process for renaming.
The policies and guidelines of the Geographic Names Committee require that there is extensive community consultation and support of the Local Government Authority before the Committee will consider a re-naming proposal and the committee does not support the use of titles – including Dr – in park names.
While council has not considered alternative way to pay tribute to Dr Lekias, Examiner Newspapers understands that a renaming of the Riverton Leisureplex may be considered.
Dr Lekias was instrumental in the planning and design of the Leisureplex, cutting the ribbon to open the complex, and as it is a City owned asset, a name-change would require no consultation or approval from an external agency.
Dr Lekias served as Mayor of the City of Canning for 16 years from 1992 to 2008 and was later made a Freeman of the City in 2013, following the receipt of two petitions with a total of 355 signatures and numerous letters from residents, ratepayers and community groups requesting that Dr Lekias be recognised for his dedication to the City.
