What’s in a name? The people in a small Canadian town called “Asbestos” will tell you that a lot of baggage is in theirs. Fortunately, the town’s leaders and residents are taking steps to put their troubled identity behind them.
The town in southeastern Quebec is changing its name, and hopefully its asbestos reputation along with it. The four options on the table currently are:
-Phenix, for the mythical bird reborn from fire
-Apalone, an endangered turtle species
-Trois-Lacs, a neighborhood in the town
-Jeffrey, the name of the town’s largest asbestos mine deposit
The town’s mayor announced these four finalists last week in a city council meeting. The residents will vote on the town’s new name in October.
How Asbestos Made a Town Dangerous
The town of Asbestos got its name due to its history of mining for the 20th-century wonder mineral. The substance found its way into construction, insulation, electrical work, automobile parts and so much more.
It was durable, cheap and could guard against fire damage. Those three characteristics put dollar signs in corporate leaders and government officials throughout the world, the town of Asbestos no different.
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