Naming of New Guelph High School Sparks Disagreement

Guelph’s long awaited new high school finally has a name, but the vote that secured it was anything but unanimous. As the decision heads to the province, questions about whether Two Rivers is the right fit for the Arkell Road site still linger.

Guelph’s new public high school now has an official name after trustees with the Upper Grand District School Board voted 6-3 to approve Two Rivers Secondary School during Tuesday’s board meeting. The decision will be sent to the Minister of Education for final approval.

The naming sparked debate among trustees. Luke Weiler questioned whether the name accurately reflects the location, noting that the Two Rivers area refers to the meeting of the Speed and Eramosa Rivers in the Ward, not the school site at 388 Arkell Rd. He also referenced concerns from the Guelph Neighbourhood Support Coalition, which said the choice could lead to confusion because the Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group already operates in that part of the city. Weiler’s motion to return the naming decision to staff for additional options was defeated 6-3.

Board chair Ralf Mesenbrink disagreed that duplication would cause issues, saying names take meaning from their context and that neighbourhood groups function within specific local boundaries.

Several trustees reflected on the significance of reaching this stage, noting that Guelph has not had a new high school built in decades. Martha MacNeil recalled voting to recommend purchasing the land for the project more than a decade ago. Trustee Jen Edwards said she liked the name but felt it was already strongly associated with another community group, which had asked the board to choose something different.

Mesenbrink said he considered whether the school community supports the name and, based on the information before him, concluded that it does.