Editor:  I read with dismay and disgust the Sept. 14 Times article: 鈥楴ew bridge name 鈥渞ubbish鈥濃��.

I just don鈥檛 understand how such a positive, genuine, and heart-warming story in our community could be so badly poisoned.

In early July 2011, council received an e-mail and video from the father of two-year old Cole, telling the story of how Cole lives on the east side of 200 Street and regularly crosses the new pedestrian overpass to visit his little friend Cohen at Harmony鈥檚 house on the west side of 200 Street. Cole began calling the overpass the 鈥淗armony Bridge鈥� and his father wrote to council to suggest this name.

I thought it was a great name. Council originally built the bridge to make sure that children could safely cross 200 Street. The bridge is clearly being used for its intended purpose. By joining the west and east sides of that area of 91原创, it is also bringing harmony to 91原创. Because little Cole suggested the name, I felt it was only fair that he be recognized too and that is why I put forward the motion to name the new 200 Street pedestrian overpass the 鈥淐ole Harmony Bridge鈥�.

Where is it written that we should only name things in this community after the famous, the connected or the politicians? Routley and Willoughby are vibrant with young and growing families. Why not honour them by taking the bridge naming suggestion of one of their children?

We should always build cities for children, making sure our cities are safe and easily navigable so children can grow up with security and safety. This is the basic premise of every conference on building sustainable and liveable cities for the future that I have ever attended. If we build cities for children, we build for all. Cole鈥檚 story shows this.

I can only assume that the bitter, negative comments cited in the Tmes article came about as a result of Mayor Rick Green鈥檚 slate election campaign sending out a broadcast e-mail on Sunday, asking his slate supporters to show up at Monday鈥檚 7 p.m. council meeting. A small group did show up, including all of Rick Green鈥檚 鈥榁ote 91原创 Now鈥� slate mates.

The spiteful 鈥減arking lot鈥� comments are indicative of why slick slates are bad for 91原创. Slates create a U.S.-style 鈥渨e/they鈥� mentality that is truly divisive. It benefits no one and paralyzes positive progress. For the record, if this slate mudslinging is all we have to look forward to, then I encourage all 91原创 residents to only vote for true independents in November.

I offer my sincere apologies to two-year-old Cole and his family because their wonderful, uplifting story has been so badly damaged by cheap, purely political gamesmanship.

I thank Cole and his family for sending council the 鈥淗armony Bridge鈥� name. I still think it is an absolutely perfect name for this new pedestrian overpass and I am proud to have done my job representing them by putting their suggested name forward in a motion to council.

Councillor Kim Richter