Rush drummer Neil Peart honoured with pavilion at Lakeside Park
Residents vote for the new name
Last updated 4th Jun 2020
Rush legend Neil Peart is being honoured with a pavilion in Port Dalhousie, a community in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada where the late-great percussionist grew up.
As local newspaper The Standard reports, St. Catharines city council officially confirmed yesterday (3rd June) that the existing structure at Lakeside Park, Port Dalhousie will be called the Neil Peart Pavilion.
The pavilion was built in 2017 at a cost of $1.8 million (CAD) – around £1.07 million – and earlier this year St. Catharines city council called on residents to vote for its new name.
Neil Peart Pavilion triumphed in the poll with more than 81% of the vote ahead of the alternative name Lakeside Park Pavilion.
"The public voting on naming is obviously fairly conclusive," said Port Dalhousie Councillor Bruce Williamson. "Neal Peart's been one of our most famous local individuals and a lot of his songs have local roots, including the namesake park."
The council quoted the lyrics to Rush’s 1975 song ‘Lakeside Park’ when announcing the results, writing: "Staff recommend that the Neil Peart Pavilion is a fitting name to complement the history of Lakeside Park's 'willows in the breeze; Lakeside Park's so many memories with laughing rides, midway lights and shining stars on summer nights.'"
Neil Peart, who died aged 67 on 7th January following a three-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer, was born in Hamilton but was brought up in Port Dalhousie and lived very close to Lakeside Park.
In January shortly after Neil’s death, tens of thousands of Rush fans signed a petition calling for the percussionist to be immortalised with a permanent statue or plaque in Lakeside Park.
The Standard reports that a Neil Peart commemorative task force has been set up by the city of St. Catharines who are looking into ways of honouring the music icon.
Neil Peart was due to remembered at a memorial concert called ‘A Night For Neil’ on Saturday 16th May at the 5,300 capacity Meridian Centre, St. Catharines, however the show has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.