Voting for a new name for the art centre is underway in Elliot Lake

Earlier this year, the City of Elliot Lake decided to ask residents to submit possible names for the new art centre located in the downtown, and now they are being asked to vote on their final choice.

According to the release, the city received over 100 submissions, which have now been shortlisted to the top 10 by a panel of local judges.

The names and a short explanation of each are available on the voting website.

Some of the names exemplify residents while others are more generic in nature from Berghammer Memorial Arts Centre to Elliot Lake Arts & Heritage Centre, for example.

Voting is open until March 26th.

The list of names are as follows …

Arts in the Wilderness Centre (A.W.C.): This name is a play on the former Elliot Lake slogan: “Jewel in the Wilderness.”

Berghammer Memorial Arts Centre (B.M.A.C.): This name honours Richard Berghammer’s contributions to the community. Berghammer was not only an artist, but also opened his home to the needy for Christmas dinner—truly exemplifying the spirit of Elliot Lake.

Creative Mine Centre (C.M.C.): This name honours Elliot Lake’s heritage as a mining town and emphasizes the creative process artists go through to make their art. Artists often must explore and work hard to unearth their most valuable ideas, which is not unlike mining.

Elliot Lake Arts & Heritage Centre (E.L.A.H.C.)

Elliot Lake Creative Hub (E.L.C.H.)

The Finn Arts Centre (F.A.C.): This name honours Linda and Murray Finn’s tireless and exhaustive contributions to the local arts community. It is also a play on words for Fine Arts.

The Heritage, Arts, Recreation, and Performance Centre (H.A.R.P.): This name incorporates any elective usage of the space under the catchy nickname: the HARP.

Lake Arts Centre (L.A.C.): This name pays homage to the original name of the building: The Lake Theater. Our area is known for its many lakes and lakes symbolize the “Source of Life.” A potential tagline is “Make it at the Lake.” The abbreviated title is the French word for Lake.

Maamawi Centre for the Arts (M.C.A.): Maamawi is the Ojibwe word for “gather and assemble all together.” Given the richness of indigenous culture in the area, this name would be a beautiful acknowledgement of historical significance.

New Leaf Arts Centre (N.L.A.C.): This name acknowledges that we are taking steps to renew our programming and infrastructures one leaf at a time.

Vote online at:  https://www.elliotlake.ca/en/recreation-and-culture/arts-and-culture.aspx#Contest-Shortlist or visit the Collins Hall (120 Hillside Dr. N.) where staff is available to assist with the voting process.