One of the most advertised places in Canada is about to get a whole lot busier.
Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square has been chosen as the site of the new Canadian Music Hall Of Fame, as announced by The Canadian Academy Of Recording Arts And Sciences (CARAS) on Tuesday.
The Square, which attracts more than 50 million people (and many more pigeons) annually, was selected in part because of its location in Toronto’s downtown core. Ross Reynolds, chairman of CARAS and chair of the Hall Of Fame committee, said, “All the proposals were unique and represented a diversity of ideas and suggestions – but Toronto clearly illustrated the greatest potential for site traffic.”
CARAS President Melanie Berry agreed. “It came down to the numbers Toronto could deliver,” she said. “Our mandate is to promote Canadian artists internationally too, so the fact this location is the top tourist destination in Canada, drawing over 17 million tourists annually, was also key.”
The Canadian Songwriters Hall Of Fame has been invited to collaborate in the new Hall’s development. Berry said the finished building will not be a museum-type structure – instead, the highly interactive bilingual venue will feature educational components, hands-on activities geared towards children, and will include a performance area.
Since its establishment in 1978, The Canadian Music Hall Of Fame has welcomed over 30 inductees, including Neil Young, The Guess Who, Rush, Joni Mitchell and most recently, The Tragically Hip.
