Past reports from city administration said Edgar Dewdney was a historical figure who was "directly responsible for the development and administration of harmful policies toward Indigenous peoples," including establishing and overseeing residential schools.
In July 2020, the group Decolonizing Relations submitted a petition requesting the pool, park and Dewdney Avenue be renamed. The city is currently creating a legacy process to review the avenue name.
Joely BigEagle-Kequahtooway told the commission on Wednesday that the renaming is an act of reconciliation, and of "claiming that identity and that connection."
"Not necessarily only Indigenous people, but all over the world, people are talking about decolonization and reimagining their future," she said.