Montreal park renamed in honour of Oscar Peterson

After a highly publicized but failed October 2008 attempt to rename Lionel-Groulx metro station after Oscar Peterson passed away in Mississauga in December 2007, the city of Montreal has approved the renaming of Campbell Centre park to pay tribute to the legendary jazz pianist. Plans are in motion for the park to host music festivals and other public events beginning this summer.

Peterson, an officer of the Order of Canada and Governor General’s Award winner, grew up just blocks away from the park in the Little Burgundy neighbourhood. A lobby group of local residents, The Coalition of Little Burgundy, started pushing for the name change shortly after Peterson’s passing. The same coalition, led by Université de Montreal law student Michael Citrome, had also lobbied for the renaming of the metro station.

Campbell Centre park was originally named after Charles Campbell, a lawyer who left funding for the creation of parks and music concerts for the public (the Campbell Concerts) after he passed away in 1923. Now that the approval of the Campbell family and the municipal government has been received, Campbell’s two original aims will be joined as one with a public park honouring a music great and featuring musical performances.

- Cyrstal Chan

Oscar Peterson has Died

Canadian Jazz legend Oscar Peterson passed away yesterday (December 23, 2007) of kidney failure in Mississauga, Ontario.

Wrote Richard Beauchamp at CJAD:

During his half-century career, he's played with such jazz giants as Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins and Ella Fitzgerald...among others...and is regarded as one of the finest jazz pianists of all time.

He was born in Montreal on August 15, 1925, and was raised in Little Burgundy. He arrived in New York City -- then the jazz capital of the world -- in 1949, at the invitation of legendary jazz impresario Norman Granz.

He received numerous honours throughout his career, including the Order of Canada, and a lifetime achievement Grammy in 1997. Concordia University's named its concert hall at Loyola Campus in his honour in 1999.

He will be missed.

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Visit our Oscar Peterson spotlight for the tributes.

WKC: Here is a video of Oscar Peterson found at Natasha Gauthier's blog