Ford stadium push prompts gratitude, groans
Doug Ford thanks mayor for proposing the honour, but many citizens disagree
A proposal backed by Mayor John Tory to rename an Etobicoke stadium in honour of the late Rob Ford drew gratitude from the Fords and outrage from some Torontonians.
The Star revealed Friday that Tory wrote his council colleagues suggesting Centennial Park Stadium become Rob Ford Memorial Stadium, describing the former Ward 2 councillor and one-term mayor’s “unique approach to public service” and passion for football as a coach.
Tory will also ask council, which meets next week, to authorize consultations with the families and communities of two other former councillors who died in recent months, Pam McConnell and Ron Moeser, on appropriate ways to honour their public service.
It was the Rob Ford proposal, however, that set Twitter and talk radio alight, pitting “Ford Nation” fans who loved his populist touch and penny-pinching style against those who said a stadium where kids compete is no place for the name of a man who smoked crack as mayor and lied about it.
Doug Ford, Rob’s brother and best friend who first publicly suggested the change, told the Star his family is happy that Tory, who beat Doug Ford in the 2014 mayoral election and will face him again in next year’s mayoral race, got behind the name change.
“We’re grateful as a family that they are going to move forward with this,” said Ford, who also singled out Councillor Stephen Holyday, whose ward includes the stadium, for thanks and said he’s happy there will be honours for his former council colleagues Pam McConnell and Ron Moeser.
Ford said it didn’t feel awkward to thank Tory, whom he berated at the recent Ford Fest party while vowing to replace him in office.
“Politics is politics. We’ve known John and his family for over 25 years; he used to be a broadcaster and would kind of go after us once in a while, so, it’s politics,” Doug Ford said. “You’ve got to separate politics and something like this; it’s always a sensitive area for anyone, so we’re going to carry on.
“We’re grateful. We’re appreciative, and we’re very honoured.”
Rob Ford was councillor for Ward 2 Etobicoke North for a decade, becoming equally famous for his hard work solving homeowners’ problems and his outrageous pronouncements and behaviour. Elected mayor in 2010, he sidelined his left-of-cen- tre opponents and pushed through a conservative agenda that included targeting low tax hikes and exacting concessions from city unions.
But his mayoralty spiralled into scandal that made worldwide headlines after the Star revealed his substance abuse, which included smoking crack cocaine with gang members and public alcohol abuse. His football coaching and charitable foundation to help schools start football programs also generated headlines. But he was eventually banned from coaching by the Toronto Cath- olic District School Board.
Ford went to rehab and was mounting a re-energized mayoral re-election bid when a cancer diagnosis forced him to seek his old council seat, instead. He died in March 2016.
On Twitter, many people mocked the idea of honouring Ford and Tory for proposing it. “This is the single dumbest thing to come out of our biggest and most embarrassing city,” one wrote. Another said: “Yes, let’s celebrate a deeply flawed man.” Others suggested alternative naming opportunities.
Wendy Gunn wrote to the Star and said the Centennial name, bestowed on Canada’s 100th birthday, should remain. “At a time when people are seriously considering taking down statues of people with questionable pasts, why would we honour a man who made us an international laughing stock and who did great harm to certain groups of people?” she said.
Councillor Mike Ford, Rob Ford’s nephew who now represents Ward 2, said he understands the objections, but does not agree with them.
“I would say to them that Rob is a man who devoted much of his life to serving his community, to helping youth in the community especially marginalized youth,” he said. “People need to look at all the positive he did and the positive legacy he left behind for the city of Toronto.”
One of his council colleagues, Jon Burnside, said he will vote against naming anything after Ford, McConnell or Moeser.
“I absolutely appreciate the attempt, but am on record opposing the naming of civic roads or facilities after politicians,” he said.