Richler: Toronto is making more fuss
It’s entertaining to watch Toronto making far more fuss than us about the proposed memorial to Mordecai Richler. People who’ve never even seen the gazebo are rushing to deplore it as akin to a public toilet or, as today’s charming columnist claims, a shelter for the homeless. Actually, the gazebo’s rather pretty and is located in a beautiful spot in Mount Royal Park with a nice view, although, as one of my readers observes, it could use some restoration work – which it will now get.
walkerp 08:55 on 2011/06/29 Permalink
At first this example of poor journalistic behaviour coming out of Toronto enrages me and then I remember that they live in Toronto and I feel sort of sorry for them.
Anyhow, it is a great spot and while its current neglect and in-between status attracts a bit of riff-raff, if they fix it up nicely, it could be a very pleasant and appropriate memorial.
C_Erb 09:15 on 2011/06/29 Permalink
It’s too late now but I still think renaming Parc Jeanne-Mance as Parc Mordecai would have been perfect. There are already many things in Montreal named for Jeanne Mance and Fletchers Field as it was called came up many times in his novels. Parc Mordecai also has a nice ring to it too.
Jake 12:14 on 2011/06/29 Permalink
The gazebo certainly isn’t a toilet, but it would be nice to see something a little more substantive named after him. I really liked the idea of renaming the Mile-End library after Richler but that doesn’t seem to have gotten off the ground.
qatzelok 11:28 on 2011/07/02 Permalink
The Friends of the Gazebo Organization is worried that an association with the Mordecai Richler brand might offend many of the gazebo’s current users. They are asking that a less sensitive site be chosen to commemorate the anglo-media celeb.