City finds way to remember Layton

[attach]5952[/attach]With the renaming of Toronto’s ferry terminal in [url=http://www.mytowncrier.ca/remembering-jack-at-home.html%20]honour of Jack Layton[/url] expected to be approved with ease at city council, efforts are turning to local ways to honour the late NDP leader.

Toronto-Danforth councillor Paula Fletcher said she will be meeting with MP Olivia Chow next week to discuss a naming honour for her late husband, who served as Toronto-Danforth’s MP for eight years. Prior to that, Layton had represented the area as a city councillor.

Fletcher said any decisions on a local commemoration had been put off until a committee — struck by Mayor Rob Ford after Layton’s death from cancer last August — had come to a decision for a suitable major infrastructure naming. With the support of Layton’s family, the committee landed on the Toronto Island Ferry Terminal.

“If they had selected a park or a building, then it would be [confusing] to have two,” said Fletcher, who sat on the committee. “There’s no more than one ferry dock so I think we’ll be okay to look around at how best to remember Jack for all of his contributions.”

The Ward 30 rep declined to comment on possible sites, saying she didn’t want to jump the gun before a formal process had begun. She noted a number of constituents have approached her with neighbourhood suggestions.

“People had ideas about different parks, or a street or a building or some housing he had helped build,” she said. “He was a passionate advocate for affordable housing.”

Councillors are set to vote on the renaming of the ferry terminal at the two-day June meeting of council, which begins June 6.

The mayor has recommended waiving a required two-year waiting period for such tributes and immediately approve the renaming of the dock the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.