What's in a name? Plenty if you ask Cowra Shire councillors debating the naming of the new bridge crossing the Lachlan River last Monday night.
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Councillors voted to name the bridge that connects the Darbys Falls Road to Trout Farm Road the Wyangala bridge.
They were told Boorowa Council - joint custodian of the structure - had met hours beforehand and had endorsed that particular name.
Given the joint ownership of the bridge it is a requirement that both agree on the name for the new bridge.
A report prepared by council also recommended the Wyangala moniker.
The report also detailed the 22 submissions from the public regarding the naming possibilities, plus several members of the public addressed the Open Forum Section of the meeting as a further show of support for their particular submission.
Of these, submissions, there were multiple for the name Wyangala Bridge or The Wyangala Bridge; Kalare or Kalar Bridge and the Wass Bridge or The William Wass Bridge.
Other suggestions included the Lachlan Bridge, the Newham bridge, the Ted Oliver bridge, the Reconciliation bridge, the Joe Thompson bridge, the Wiradjuri bridge and the George Williams Evans bridge.
Several of the nominations contained lengthy and well researched background detail of local historical identities and justification for why their name should be used.
However, despite one councillor describing it as a missed opportunity and lacking imagination, the majority opted for the obvious geographical tag, rather than after an individual or family.
"I am impressed with the thoroughness of the submissions that came in on paper and all of those cases were really well made," said Cr Judi Smith,
"Tonight has shown there are many good candidates and to do service to one is to do dis-service to another."
Bruce Miller complimented all of the different presentations, saying were all worthy of being recognised.
He moved however, it be named the Wyangala bridge.
"This really is about a sense of place and it's appropriate."
Mayor Bill West argued against the comment from Ian Brown to re-look at the subject with one of the family names, saying the recommendation connected the community of Wyangala to the bridge.
"It's something they fought for [the bridge] and it gives their community a place on the map."
However, the family history detailed to them on the night was certainly not lost on them.
Instead, council added a motion to approach Boorowa Shire council and jointly investigate the recognition of contributions made by pioneering families in the Wyangala area.
