AMHERST, N.S. — Amherst is considering honouring someone who, during his pro wrestling career, put the town on the map.
During Amherst council’s January committee of the whole meeting, CAO Greg Herrett announced the town is looking for a way to honour the memory of Rocky Johnson and renaming a street in his honour is likely.
“With what happened last week with the passing of Rocky Johnson, a distinguished Amherst native, and reflecting on what might be an appropriate way to honour him we were thinking Lord Amherst Drive might be the best street to rename in his honour given it’s the first street you see as you enter Amherst, other than South Albion Street, and its proximity to the (Trans-Canada) highway,” Herrett said.
Johnson died suddenly of a heart attack on Jan. 15 at age 75.
Born in Amherst, Johnson left the community as a teen to move to Toronto to train as a boxer. He began his wrestling career in 1964 and competed in the Northern Wrestling Alliance and the former World Wrestling Federation – being elected to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008.
Mayor David Kogon said it’s up to the town whether to rename a street and if that’s the decision then it has to decide which street.
“He was quite the personage for the Town of Amherst,” the mayor said. “I never met him personally, but from everyone I talked to he never forgot that Amherst was the place he came from. We want to honour him in some way and naming a street after him was a suggestion.”
The mayor said while council seems supportive, it’s still early in the process and there is still a lot of work to be done before a final decision is made.
Deputy Mayor Sheila Christie said she’s in favour of renaming Lord Amherst Drive in honour of Rocky Johnson, but questioned whether there would be costs for the businesses located on the street, including Amherst Toyota and the Super 8 Motel.
“There are costs involved with letterheads and business cards,” she said. “If we get to this point is there something the town is responsible for?”
Herrett said it would be unlikely for the town to entertain picking up the cost, but it would give lots of notice to the affected businesses.
Coun. Terry Rhindress suggested Veno Avenue could be renamed in Johnson’s honour.
“I know when he was in town he spent a lot of time up there,” Rhindress said, adding he remembered going to watch Johnson when he wrestled at the Amherst Stadium.
Coun. Wayne MacKenzie believes the businesses on the street would be favourable to renaming Lord Amherst Drive since it might be attractive to have a business on Rocky Johnson Drive.
“It might be a good advertising point for them,” he said. “We should contact the businesses to hear what they think.”
Coun. Darrell Jones, who was a friend of Johnson’s, likes the idea for two reasons. Not only does it honour the former professional wrestler, but it also addresses reconciling with the Indigenous population in removing the name Lord Amherst from the street.
“It would be a nice way of keeping everybody happy,” Jones said.
Coun. Vince Bryne said it’s possible the town could also look at renaming a future development or building in Johnson’s memory.
Council voted to send its recommendation to staff.
Elizabeth Cooke-Sumbu, a second cousin of Johnson’s, is also in favour of naming a street to honour the former wrestler.
“I think it’s a great idea. Everybody that I talked to say how he helped put Amherst on the map,” she said. “Someone I was talking to the other day said the town should do something to honour Rocky. If this is what they’re doing I think it’s great. It would be a wonderful change.”
If the town opts to rename Lord Amherst Drive, or another street, in Johnson’s honour it will be the first time since 2013 that a street has been renamed.
Soon after the death of longtime town councillor and minor hockey supporter Roy Maltby, the town decided to rename a portion of Cornwall Avenue in his honour with the portion of street running from Park Street Extension to West Highlands Elementary named Maltby Court.
