The Lower Hall to be Renamed after First Nations Runner Tom Longboat, The Great Hall to Receive Heritage Property Plaque

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Toronto – Heritage Toronto will unveil two plaques in a public event on September 21st at the city’s iconic building, The Great Hall.

The first plaque will be presented as part of the Toronto Legacy Plaques program, commemorating famous Indigenous athlete Tom Longboat. Longboat trained at The Great Hall in the early 20th century when it was The West End YMCA. He went on to compete in the Boston Marathon in 1907, finishing first and setting a new course record. In addition to the plaque, the building’s venue, The Lower Hall, will be officially renamed Longboat Hall.

The second plaque that will be unveiled is a Heritage Property plaque, recognizing the status of The Great Hall as a designated building.

The unveiling comes at a remarkable moment in the history of The Great Hall which has been undergoing a steady period of renovation and restoration in the previous months. The event will not only mark the momentous occasion with Heritage Toronto, it will also be the building’s first official Open House since the beginning of the renovation process.

The evening’s host will be Pan-­American gold medalist Waneek Horn Miller. Guest speakers include City Councillor and Heritage Toronto Board Member Mike Layton, former Toronto Poet Laureate Dennis Lee of the Toronto Legacy Project, Cindy Martin of the Longboat family, and Lina Beaudin on behalf of The Great Hall.

The public is invited to this exciting event to enjoy live music from Toronto band Rambunctious, cocktails, and the opportunity to rediscover The Great Hall and its restored facilities, which include four unique venue spaces available for events and functions.

As space is limited, the general public is asked to register via heritagetoronto.org.

For media inquiries,
please contact Valerie@charmingmedia.ahdigitalagency.com 416-­520­‐9504

---

An extra special thank you goes to Scotiabank, Heritage Toronto’s Historical Plaques Program Sponsor, for their commitment to engage citizens within their local communities year­‐round. 

ABOUT THE GREAT HALL, TORONTO 

Standing at the corner of Queen & Dovercourt since 1889, The Great Hall is a cherished historical building and iconic Toronto landmark. Founded to house the West End YMCA, it evolved into a prime venue for public speaking, social gatherings, and the performing arts, hosting countless concerts, plays, meetings, weddings, and special events. Boasting heritage architecture and design with a fully modern update throughout, The Great Hall offers four distinctive event spaces under one iconic Victorian roof. To explore our venues and learn more, visit www.thegreathall.ca and follow us on Twitter @GreatHallTO, Instagram @thegreathall, and Facebook www.facebook.com/TheGreatHallToronto.

ABOUT HERITAGE TORONTO

Heritage Toronto is a charitable arms-­‐length agency of the City of Toronto established in 1949 to promote a greater appreciation for the city’s rich architectural, cultural, archaeological and natural heritage. Through partnerships with local community groups and volunteers, Heritage Toronto provides city-­‐wide programs and services. Core annual programs include neighbourhood Tours, the Heritage Toronto Awards and Kilbourn Lecture, and a Historical Plaques program.

---

STAY CONNECTED WITH US
Twitter: twitter.com/HeritageToronto
Facebook: facebook.com/HeritageToronto
YouTube: youtube.com/HeritageToronto
Instagram: instagram.com/HeritageToronto