Councillors voted 6-1 in their decision at last night’s meeting to open a new round of community consultation for naming the urban square now under construction at the corner of Elgin Boulevard and High Street.

A recommendation from the Wodonga Place Names Committee had put forward the name Harmony Square; however, Cr Anna Speedie put forward an alternative recommendation seeking more community input.

Ahead of last night’s council meeting, Cr Speedie said she had fielded a huge number of calls from the public on the square naming — “the third highest”, she estimated, of any council issue.

“Community support (for the name) is absolutely essential ... on the basis of the commentary, I believe we need to go back and do some more work,” she said.

“We need a strong, reflective name that really helps us create an identity.

“The community needs to own and believe in the name so it stands the test of time,” she said.

The council will now re-open community consultation from March 21 to April 20, with all submissions to be referred to the Place Names Committee, which will make a shortlist of three names that will be presented at the May council meeting before going out for further consultation.

A final name will be chosen at the June council meeting.

Cr Eric Kerr, who seconded Cr Speedie’s motion, said the urban square was “a significant part of Wodonga” and encouraged the community to “contribute a name it can be proud of”.

Places Victoria originally submitted four names for consideration following community consultation last October: Red Rattler Square, Spur Line Square, Turn Table Plaza, and Gallipoli Green.

Wodonga Place Names Committee deemed none of these suitable and put Harmony Square forward as its alternative.

Mayor Rodney Wangman stressed the new consultation process did not exclude any of the suggestions made so far and that people could still voice their support or otherwise for them, as well as suggesting others.

The name will only apply to one area of the wider Junction Place precinct.

Cr Michael Fraser urged the community to “have a serious look at this, because it will be the last crack at it”.