Matojärvigatan in Kiruna is to be renamed Börje Salmings gata. The municipal council has decided this following a proposal from municipal councilor Gunnar Selberg.
— We have all seen the celebration in Toronto of Kirunasonen Salming. Börje is sick. We’ve all seen what it’s like with him. He lived on Matojärvigatan. He lived a stone’s throw from the ice barn. I suggest that we depart from all routines and that we rename Matojärvigatan to Börje Salmings gata. We decide here and now that we will rename Matojärvigatan, Selberg said in his speech according to NSD.
This weekend Salming was honored by the NHL club Toronto where he became a big icon during his time in Canada.
The 71-year-old will also be honored at the Tidernas hockey gala in Stockholm on Thursday.
Börje Salming grew up on Matojärvigatan in Kiruna. When the decision to rename the street was made, municipal councilor Mats Taaveniku wanted to send a greeting to Salming and his family.
“We will of course honor him for what he has done for Kiruna, Sweden and hockey,” says Taaveniku.
Gunnar Selberg chimes in:
— It feels so incredibly good that we had time to make this (decision) because time is short, he says to P4 Norrbotten.