Change of Plans for Sam the Record Man Marquee?
Logistical concerns might make remounting the heritage-designated, Ryerson-owned iconic signage impractical.
By
Meg Campbell
Photo by
spotmaticfanatic from the
Torontoist Flickr Pool.
Toronto may not see Sam the Record Man’s signage reappear on Yonge Street. Ryerson’s independent student newspaper the
Eyeopener is
reporting that the school is reconsidering plans to re-mount the sign on its not-yet-built Student Learning Centre.
Early plans for the SLC indicated it would include the marquee, but it didn’t figure into a
newer design released this year.
According to the
Eyeopener‘s report, Ryerson president Sheldon Levy is concerned about the cost of remounting the sign, approximately $250,000, and the school wants to propose a “sidewalk tribute” as an alternate memorial to Sam’s. Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 24, Toronto Centre-Rosedale) noted that the size of the sign and its outdated, energy-inefficient technology could make remounting it “physically impossible” and said Ryerson has been developing an “interpretive commemorative plaque” for the site. The school will have to get city council’s approval to change its plan for the sign.
The sign has been out of public view since late 2008 when Ryerson
began demolishing Sam’s, which
closed its doors in 2007. There was an enormous public campaign to
save the sign, and in June 2007, the City kept it off the auction block and
designated the entire building a heritage site.
http://torontoist.com/2011/11/change-of-plans-for-sam-the-record-man-marquee/