ANY ideas for what to call the 12 unnamed laneways running off Beaufort Street?

The Beaufort Street Network and Vincent city council are looking to name them to help build a bit more identity around the area as part of their “placemaking” projects, and it’s a globally recognised technique for creating a sense of place.

They’re looking for short, punchy names up to six letters, that resonate with the area and that could be based on notable locals of the past, or special features of the area (Astor Lane north of Walcott Street being a good example). Easy to spell and pronounce is also a plus.

• Beaufort Street Network’s Dean Cracknell with Vincent city council’s place manager Georgia Lawrence down in one of the unnamed lanes. Photo by Matthew Dwyer

While crowdsourcing names has had disastrous results (the highest voted name in Mountain Dew’s online poll for its new product was “Hitler did nothing wrong”), WA’s geographical naming committee has pretty strict requirements for what’s appropriate.

It won’t let in any any names of living people, no “inappropriate, discriminator or derogative names” and no numbers or symbols (so #LOL Lane is out).

The ‘crats need suggestions in by November 20 and you can get more info from city place manager Georgia Lawrence on 9273 6513 or from vincent.wa.gov.au (click on the wee ‘name the lanes’ button).

by DAVID BELL