‘Ion’ has been unveiled as the recommended name for Waterloo Region’s light rail transit system.
The name was released to the public Friday afternoon as the brand recommended by rapid transit officials.
The final naming decision rests with regional councillors, who will approve ‘ion’ or pick their own name within the next few weeks.
Coun. Sean Strickland says he’s happy to get on board with the ion.
“I like the name,” he tells CTV.
“It’s futuristic, it’s iconic, it fits in there with world class transportation systems.”
CTV cameras asked a number of Waterloo Region residents their thoughts on ‘ion’, and were met with a mixed bag of responses.
Some people said they liked the connection between the name and the local tech sector, while others said they didn’t see any meaning in it.
The most common response was that the name matters less than the LRT system itself.
Along with ‘ion’, ‘arc’ and ‘trio’ were shortlisted in January based on comments from the public and analysis of the names of other transit systems in North America.
A series of public meetings were then held, where residents could single out their favourite name or suggest another possibility.
St. Jacobs-based Quarry Integrated Communications was paid $75,000 to develop the region’s LRT brand, including a name, logo and associated materials.
