David Pecaut, who died in December, 2009, at the age of 54 after a long battle with cancer, was a relentless and visionary apostle of Toronto?s civic potential. Mr. Pecaut is pictured here in May, 2009.Kevin Van Paassen
Helen Burstyn, wife of the late David Pecaut, says she reacted "with happy surprise and a great deal of gratitude" to the proposal to rename Metro Square after him.
Mayor Rob Ford will announce his intention to rename the square - lying between Roy Thomson Hall and Metro Hall, and King and Wellington Streets - Pecaut Square on Friday morning at City Hall. City council is expected to sanction the change formally on Tuesday.
Mr. Pecaut, who died in December, 2009 at the age of 54 after a long battle with colon cancer, was a relentless apostle of Toronto's civic potential.
He spearheaded the landmark Toronto City Summit Alliance in 2002 and campaigned vigorously to promote tourism initiatives. Then, with Tony Gagliano, he co-founded Luminato, the annual multi-disciplinary arts festival. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in June, Luminato has significantly enriched the city's cultural menu and embellished its international reputation.
Festival organizers had already planned to use Metro Square as the epicentric venue for its free concerts, moving south from the former hub at Dundas Square. Now, shows mounted there will serve as an enduring tribute to the dynamic force that conceived their creation.
Ms. Burstyn, co-chair of the Ontario government's Partnership Project, said the idea of publicly honouring Mr. Pecaut's memory began to circulate shortly after his death.
But she said it was National Ballet School executive director Jeff Melanson, in his new role as the city's cultural adviser, who served as the catalyst. Ms. Burstyn said Mr. Melanson called just before the new year to elicit her support and that of the extended family. "I said absolutely."
Mr. Melanson then took the suggestion to Mayor Ford's office in January. The mayor is said to have swiftly and enthusiastically endorsed the proposal.
Two venues were initially considered - Dundas Square, at Yonge and Dundas Streets, and Metro Square. The latter, Ms. Burstyn said, was the more appropriate choice, given its location in the heart of the entertainment district, the city's plan to create a cultural corridor in the area, and Luminato's intention to use the site as a hub.
An official naming ceremony is expected to coincide with the opening of this year's Luminato, June 10th.
"I think David would be thrilled that this is a real, living space," Ms. Burstyn said. "There are many ways to remember people and pay tribute. This one says a lot about him and the things he tried to represent and create and leave to everybody. "