Rush’s Neil Peart is set to be honored with two new bronze statues, which will be erected in Ontario, Canada.
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The city of St. Catherines has hired an artist to create a memorial at the Neil Peart Pavilion, which is located at Lakeside Park, paying tribute to the late drummer.
Morgan MacDonald of the Newfoundland Bronze Foundry will craft two bronze statues of the musical icon to be placed at the pavilion. They will be connected by a pathway that gives visitors a glimpse into Peart’s life and legacy – including his lyrics, novels, and poetry.
One figure will be 12 feet tall and will show Peart as a young artist in the 1970s, holding books and drumsticks. The second will capture the star in later years, offering his drumsticks to those paying a visit to the memorial. Sabian Cymbals will also donate some of the musician’s old cymbals to be melted down and used in the new statues.
“Our monument and site design concepts are the results of an extensive personality interpretation and expression exercise that ensures meaningful relevance to people, place, and legacy,” MacDonald said. “We are proud of this effort and its results.”
Although detailed plans have been made for the memorial, they are dependent on the St. Catherines’ Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force raising $1 million. Fans can donate to the project here.
Lakeside Park inspired Rush’s 1975 single of the same name and is where Peart spent his summers in his childhood. It was also home to an amusement park at one time, where he worked as a teenager.
In 2020, the park’s pavilion was named after the Rush legend following a public vote. Over 81 percent of residents chose the name Neil Peart Pavilion over Lakeside Park Pavilion.
In January, a devotee of Peart’s posted a remarkable video tribute to the star featuring a medley of segments from every single song by the band – all 175 of them, in chronological order. Brandon Toews compiled the 25-minute “mash-up” over 10 weeks.
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