The London Beat London, Ontario’s stream of consciousness
Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, will join movie star Seth Rogen, and retired astronaut Chris Hadfield on Canada’s Walk of Fame. In total, 10 people will be recognized on December 1st in Toronto, on the event’s 20th anniversary.
The organization will also honour Montreal singer Leonard Cohen posthumously.
The inclusion of Virtue and Moir came as a surprise as they’re still active in their skating careers.
“Many times the walk of fame has celebrated the success of great sports figures and Olympians after (they)… have retired,” said walk of fame head Jeffrey Latimer.
But added that he believed it was important to induct sports figures “when they are on top of the world.”
The darlings of Ilderton are more than worthy of the accolade and their pedigree speaks for itself: 2010 and 2018 Olympic champions, 2014 Olympic silver medalists, three-time World champions (2010, 2012, 2017), three-time Four Continents champions (2008, 2012, 2017), the 2016–17 Grand Prix Final champions, eight-time Canadian national champions (2008–2010, 2012–2014, 2017–2018), and the 2006 World Junior champions. They were also 2014 Olympic silver medalists and 2018 Olympic gold medalists in the team event. Source
Their achievements make many analysts consider them to be the greatest ice dancers of all time.
Other inductees include writer, director Evan Goldberg, Doctors Without Borders president Joanne Liu, singer-songwriter Andy Kim, billionaire businessman and head of the Jim Pattison Group, Jimmy Pattison, and comedian Andrea Martin. Martin was actually born in the United States but recently received her Canadian citizenship.
This year’s honourees will be part of a new “hometown star” initiative, where markers will be put near the places each honouree grew up.
Inductees will also receive $10,000 to donate to a local charity of their choice.
As for the induction gala event itself, Latimer said it will include a reunion of past honourees, and that invitations have been sent to former Canadian prime ministers and governor generals.
:Right now we’ve got over 20 of the past inductees,” Latimer said. “I think there’s going to be many more.”
The ceremony will air on CTV some time in December.
Photo credit:
By David W. Carmichael [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
