While many of Canberra's suburbs and streets are unsurprisingly named after prime ministers and pioneers, there are some quirky exceptions and places that have taken on double meanings.
The signs pointing to Batman Street have been moved higher up the poles to help deter theft.
And one thoroughfare that cannot be overlooked is James Kirk Street in Gungahlin, where a Star Trek fan added a T as the middle initial, in a nod to Captain Kirk from the science fiction franchise.
Holden Crescent and Holden Place have been the target of repeated thefts in recent years, prompting City Services to stencil the names onto the kerb.
Bogan Place currently has no street sign directing the way, while one of the Bon Scott Crescent signs is missing.
An ACT government spokesperson said 42 signage requests were submitted through Fix My Street this year that used the words “stolen” or “theft” to describe a missing sign.
While I’m pleasantly not-surprised to see the committee choosing street names takes into account avoiding similar names and avoids difficult to pronounce names, it’s interesting that Firth claims double meanings “didn’t really come into it”.
This part is a cool idea:
“Some streets will be short, and some streets will be long. If it’s a long name, it will go on the long street, because when you’re mapping, if you’ve got a short street with a long name it’s very hard to fit it all on the map,” she said.
The signs pointing to Batman Street have been moved higher up the poles to help deter theft
I did find that one amusing, particularly as moving it higher up might result in people having to bring along gadgetry (or a batladder) to make for a higher tech heist.
It’s interesting that Firth claims double meanings “didn’t really come into it”.
That does seem a little unlikely, I suspect someone in the planning department back in the day had a sensible chuckle at Iron Knob St before approving that one - safe in the knowledge that it could be justified as a legitimate entry into the naming scheme. I would imagine that selecting out double entendres definitely would come into it in current day street naming.
Honorable mention on the modifying street name front should go to Bellenden Street, which I have rarely seen sporting its actual name because the sign is so easily turned into Bellend street…
This part is a cool idea
It is a good idea, even with modern day electronic maps particularly long names can be hard to display let alone with hard copy maps.
[pictures in article]
While I’m pleasantly not-surprised to see the committee choosing street names takes into account avoiding similar names and avoids difficult to pronounce names, it’s interesting that Firth claims double meanings “didn’t really come into it”.
This part is a cool idea:
I did find that one amusing, particularly as moving it higher up might result in people having to bring along gadgetry (or a batladder) to make for a higher tech heist.
That does seem a little unlikely, I suspect someone in the planning department back in the day had a sensible chuckle at Iron Knob St before approving that one - safe in the knowledge that it could be justified as a legitimate entry into the naming scheme. I would imagine that selecting out double entendres definitely would come into it in current day street naming.
Honorable mention on the modifying street name front should go to Bellenden Street, which I have rarely seen sporting its actual name because the sign is so easily turned into Bellend street…
It is a good idea, even with modern day electronic maps particularly long names can be hard to display let alone with hard copy maps.