Today, Mayor John Tory was joined by members of Toronto City Council and Pam McConnell’s family to honour the legacy of the late Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell and officially unveil a new sign for the renamed Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre in Regent Park.
Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell, who passed away in July 2017, was a long-time member of Toronto City Council and spent much of her career advocating for social justice, poverty reduction, education and literacy. She is known for advocating for Toronto’s most vulnerable residents and for her role in the revitalization of the Regent Park neighbourhood. She worked hard to ensure the neighbourhood had resources and amenities, such as a local park and pool, to help the community thrive.
Pam received numerous awards for her work over the years, including an award from the Duke of Edinburgh in 1997 for her work with youth who experience systemic inequities and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013.
In 2018, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities posthumously awarded her a place in its Roll of Honour and created the Award for Gender Equality in International Development, naming it the Pam McConnell Award. In the same year, the City created the Pam McConnell Young Women in Leadership Award to recognize the exceptional leadership of young women in Toronto.
To honour her life and work, Council voted in 2018 to rename the aquatic centre in Regent Park and commission a commemorative artwork and bench. A call for public art proposals was issued in June and closes on August 16. Details for the competition are available on the City’s Public Art Competitions webpage: http://www.toronto.ca/explore-
The Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre, which recently re-opened as part of Step Three of the Province of Ontario’s Roadmap to Reopen, features three pools including a 25-metre lap pool, a leisure pool and a therapeutic pool and two universal change rooms. City staff have worked closely with Toronto Public Health to implement adjustments to program capacities and parameters to meet new provincial guidelines. Reservations for 45-minute leisure or lane swim sessions must be made in advance through the City’s Swimming webpage: www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/r
Quotes:
“I am so very pleased to honour the life and legacy of Pam McConnell with the renaming of this wonderful facility in Regent Park, a community that she helped to reimagine and revitalize. The Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre is a wonderful addition to this community, and to the city as a whole, and will contribute to the health and well-being of residents for years to come.”
– Mayor John Tory
“I am honoured to continue the work of Pam McConnell, a mentor, friend, trailblazer, and an incredible community advocate. Every day, I aspire to honour her incredible legacy. She pushed for things that matter to people and helped to make the Regent Park community a great place to live.”
– Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre)
“Pam worked tirelessly to make Toronto a better place and we’re all better off for her efforts. I’m pleased to see the City recognize Pam with the renaming of the Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre.”
– Councillor Paula Fletcher (Toronto-Danforth)
SOURCE: City of Toronto
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