Rosedale by any other name...?

A number of North Shore suburbs may avoid an identity crisis by taking new names - or not. Holly Reid reports
Like it or not, most people learn to live with the name of their home town. But residents in four North Shore suburbs have the opportunity to give their neighbourhoods a fresh new name.
The names of suburbs Pinehill, Rosedale,Wairau Valley and Fairview Heights are under review by council for alternative options as "there is a requirement for all suburb boundaries to be clearly defined and named'.
Nothing odd or fussy about those at first glance, but that's probably why they're not unique.
Places called Wairau Valley and Fairview Heights exist in other parts of the country. Pinehill and Rosedale are under scrutiny because they are relatively new.
And yet, "What's in a name?' as Juliet asks Romeo, to show that she thinks names are little more than trite. "That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,' she claims in Shakespeare's well-known play.
And people in Rosedale seem to agree. The owner of Fat Boys Tavern, Tom Harris, says he's never been attached to Rosedale and didn't know it existed on the map. "I don't know how the hell they came up with that one. We're just a stone's throw from Albany, I can't see any reason why it shouldn't be all the same.'
Too many people adopt "fancy names' of snobbish suburbs to promote their neighbourhood, he says. "It's not important to me at all.'
Mail to Sarah Robins has been waylaid in Avondale but she defends Rosedale's age-old link to the neighbourhood park and Rosedale Rd. "It should be the other Rosedale that goes.'
Up at Pinehill, resident Graham Smith says there's a certain connection between his stomping ground and neighbouring suburb Forrest Hill. ``It sort of flows together if you know what I mean...but it also gets confusing,' he adds.
A lot of people don't know where Pinehill is, so a name change is unlikely to upset too many. Graham suggests Windyhill as a good alternative.
Vaughan Rogers is a staunch defender of his hometown - Pinehill is easy to use, he says. ``I went to Pinehill Primary School and I've been here for 19 years of my life. I have a whole lot of good memories here and I wouldn't want to see it change.' Vaughan's never had problems with mail or visitors getting lost.
North Shore City Council is working with community boards to decide whether new names will stick. Kiwi place names all have to be approved by the New Zealand Geographic Board, and the board is taking suggestions until August 31. A decision is likely towards the end of the year.
Got ideas for a new name for these suburbs? Email editorshore@theaucklander.co.nz or fax 373 6583. To make your suggestion online see www.northshorecity.govt.nz.