A GO Station is about to change names and people aren't happy about it
Brampton GO Station will soon have a longer and much more confusing name following a naming rights purchase.
It was announced on Thursday that the station's naming rights had been purchased by the City of Brampton in a ten-year deal that will see the station rebranded to "Brampton Innovation District GO" this fall.
Today, the City of Brampton in partnership with @Metrolinx, announced the 10-year naming rights agreement for Brampton GO Station, to be renamed Brampton Innovation District GO.
— City of Brampton (@CityBrampton) June 29, 2023
Aptly renamed due to its location, Brampton Innovation District GO is in the heart of… pic.twitter.com/KjazXeRH9P
"Acquiring the Brampton GO station naming rights differentiates the Brampton Innovation District and raises awareness of downtown Brampton as a centre for innovation, technology and entrepreneurship," reads a statement from Brampton Mayor, Patrick Brown.
"Renaming the station will support job creation, attract investment and talent, strengthen transit, tourism, arts and culture and other strategic initiatives within downtown Brampton," continued Brown.
Yesterday's announcement revealed new window signage in the George Street bus loop, the first step in the transit hub's transition to a new name. Permanent signage will follow throughout the station and across the GO network and the Brampton Transit system this coming fall.
But, outside of Brampton City Hall, it appears that nobody is pleased with the renaming.
That is so confusing and unneeded. Why??? It’s not even a company paying, it’s another government?
— conさん (@mcbrineellis) June 30, 2023
Several Twitter users are calling out the new name as complicated and confusing, tabling other simplified suggestions.
This is really long and a bit confusing, "Downtown Brampton" would be better
— Jamie (she/they) (@TransitThinker) June 29, 2023
Others call the move "unnecessary."
Could you not change station names for unnecessary reasons?
— WB21 (@RareMetro211) June 29, 2023
The idea of selling station naming rights was first floated by Metrolinx in 2019, and plans to sell off names for transit links proceeded in 2022.
Better than Sunkist Orange Juice GO, but that's not saying very much, is it?
— Kim K 🏳️🌈 (@TOhumanist) June 30, 2023
The first station renaming occurred last fall, when the Oshawa GO station was confusingly retitled Durham College Oshawa GO — referencing a school with a main campus two hours from the actual station.
