City officials renamed a football stadium at Toronto's Centennial Park after the late former mayor Rob Ford at a ceremony on Tuesday. Centennial Stadium, near Renforth Drive and Rathburn Road, is now officially known as Rob Ford Stadium. A new sign for the stadium was to be unveiled at the ceremony in Etobicoke.
Ford, who died at age 46 in 2016, coached high school football at the stadium before and during his time at city hall. He served as Toronto's mayor from 2010 to 2014. The renaming was done on what would have been his 55th birthday.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Rob's brother, said in the release that the renaming is a "incredibly thoughtful gesture" much appreciated by his family, especially Rob's children, Dougie and Stephanie. "Rob's greatest joy was the chance to serve the people of Toronto and give back to his community, and that was especially true when it came to the young people he coached," the premier said in the release. Rob Ford represented Etobicoke North as a councillor from 2000 to 2010 and from 2014 to 2016.
Say hello to Rob Ford Stadium: Toronto city council to rename Etobicoke venue after former mayor Could Rob Ford soon have a Toronto stadium named after him? Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a news release on Tuesday that the renaming is a "beautiful tribute" to a long-serving public official in Toronto. "I personally know the pain of losing a loved one, which is why I supported the motion to rename the stadium. I understand what this means for the For.
