Former councillor Manjit Lally pushed for the roundabout to be named Khalsa Chowk. Photo: Oliver Jacques/Manjit Lally.
A debate over whether to name a new roundabout a Punjabi phrase or after the pioneering Forlico family has seen Griffith Council rule in favour of the Punjabis, after it was revealed the Forlicos never actually wanted the junction named after them.
On Tuesday (10 December), Councillor Jenny Ellis moved that a sign be erected on the roundabout on Thorne Road and Kidman Way with the name “Khalsa Chowk” (pronounced khal-sa chowek), which means pure junction in the Punjabi language.
Her motion was won 7-2, with only Anne Napoli and Christine Stead voting against it.
This means a sign will go up with the Punjabi name on the roundabout, pending approval by state government body Transport for NSW, a process expected to be a formality.
The council vote followed a request several months ago from local Sikh community leader Harpreet Singh, who wanted the contribution of his people to the town recognised at a landmark near the town’s Sikh temple.
There are around 1000 Sikhs in Griffith, who practise the world’s fifth most popular religion and originally come from the North Indian state of Punjab, with Punjabi its official language.
Council invited public submissions on the proposal and received an objection from a group of residents who suggested the roundabout instead be named in honour of the Forlicos, a family who have resided nearby for 100 years. Tiz Forlico was a prominent builder while his wife Joan is known for extensive charity work.
At its November meeting, a divided council debated the merits of calling the junction either Forlicos’ roundabout or Khalsa Chowk, but decided to postpone a decision to a later date.
But a revelation in the December council papers strengthened the case for the Punjabi name.
“Mayor Curran personally visited the Forlico family, who clarified they do not wish to have the roundabout named after them. This was a desire expressed by other community members on their behalf,” the papers stated.
Former councillor and Sikh community leader Manjit Lally addressed the Tuesday meeting to once again plead the case for his people.
“We chose this place as it’s very close to our amenities, which makes it significant for us to recognise this place just next to our temple,” he said.
“The community is getting bigger and bigger; I would like to request the naming of the roundabout again.”
Mr Lally said the Sikhs would cover the full cost of their proposal, which would include paying for a new sign.
Once again, the roundabout debate went around in circles.
“If the sign does get approved and go up, will there be the definition of what it means in Australian?” Councillor Mark Dal Bon asked.
Mayor Curran said: “I’d be mindful of that; very small writing will have a tendency for people to try and read it and it is on a roundabout.”
Cr Dal Bon accepted this and expressed his support for Cr Ellis’ motion.
“This has gone on long enough … does anyone know what Collina means? It means hill in Italian … at the end of the day, the Sikhs have requested this. There is to be a bridge built outside the Forlico place, which is another option [to recognise them] … the Sikh community have given a lot and they are not asking for much.”
Cr Ellis said she wanted more communities recognised in this way.
“We are known as a city that is multicultural but if you drive down the street it is not evident … there other community groups that would like to be recognised too,” she said.
Cr Dal Bon said he didn’t want to see Griffith to start looking like Las Vegas, with colour everywhere.
Mayor Curran said this wouldn’t happen, as all signs would be the standard white and green.
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