An uptown Saint John sidewalk space will be named in memory of an LGBTQ+ advocate in the city.
The corner of Carmarthen and Mecklenburg streets will now be known as Parker’s Corner after a council vote on March 18.
It is in honour of Parker Cogswell who passed away from cancer back in 2020 at the age of 55.
Cogswell was a longstanding member of the south end known for his sociability and friendship.
Since his passing, Cogswell’s neighbours around his Mecklenburg Street home have dubbed the corner where his garden reaches Carmarthen Street as Parker’s Corner.
Community members have also used the space as a gathering point to celebrate his life, according to a staff report from the city’s civic commemoration committee.
“This initiative goes beyond commemorating an individual; rather it acknowledges the work of the community to make Saint John more accepting and inclusive,” said the report.
Cogswell’s mother, the late Judith Meinert-Thomas, was also a champion of the LGBTQ+ community and helped launch the city’s first Pride parade in 2003.
City staff will work with the Saint John Pride committee to facilitate an unveiling of the designation during Pride events in August.
