Shortlist for Woodside ferry name disappoints councillor

The Halifax Regional Municipality has trimmed the list of potential names for its new ferry, but the 20 options are getting rocky reviews from one city councillor.

Gloria McCluskey is a member of the four person panel who will trim that list to five, but shes pitching that they go back and review hundreds of original submissions.

This summer, the city allowed the public to suggest the name for the new boat which will go into service in the spring of2014.

It received 1,200 names in a matter of weeks.

"Were absolutely thrilled with the amount of people that have put in submissions," said city spokesperson Janet Bryson. "Obviously people are excited about it."

Two people a city employee and a representative from Metro Transit were tasked with cutting the long list to just 20.

That list is supposed to be a secret.

But Gloria McCluskey said she was disappointed when she finally got a look.

"One was the Wave," she said. "I cant see how that would be the name for a ferry."

The contest was built in hopes of finding a creative name for the boat that will cross Halifax Harbour. The current ferries are called Halifax 3, Dartmouth 3 and Woodside 1.

McCluskey said there are a few good options. But the majority including the suggestion HalDart arent what she was hoping for.

"Id like to see something that really ties into the history and the area, and Im not happy with the 20 names that we received."

The panel, which consists of Mayor Mike Savage and a member from each of the three community councils, will cut the list to five. Those names will be put on the citys website for a final, public vote in the coming weeks.