The man who gave us 'Carefree Highway' has a street of his own
Orillia has honoured its native son.
Orillia council authorized a bylaw to rename Centennial Drive Lightfoot Drive at its meeting on Monday.
"Gordon Lightfoot was known as Orillia's favourite son, but his influence extends far beyond the boundaries of our city," said Mayor Don McIsaac.
"He is a cultural icon whose music has touched the hearts and souls of millions around the globe. Renaming Centennial Drive to Lightfoot Drive is a fitting tribute to honour his enduring legacy and to celebrate his profound connection to our community."
Raised in Orillia, Gordon Lightfoot was born in 1938 and died in May 2023, leaving behind a legacy on the world stage with timeless ballads that united audiences across generations.
The former Centennial Drive runs along Orillia's Lake Couchiching waterfront, connecting the city to landmarks such as Couchiching Beach Park, the Port of Orillia, the Terry Fox Circle, and the Rotary Aqua Theatre.
Over the past few years, Orillia has invested significantly to update the infrastructure in the area and the road recently underwent major reconstruction and re-alignment.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
"As Centennial Drive transforms into Lightfoot Drive, it serves as more than just a road; it's a direct link between Orillia's picturesque waterfront and bustling downtown, bringing people together, much like Lightfoot's music brought together individuals from all walks of life who found inspiration in his songs," said Mayor Don McIsaac.
"With this renaming, we honour not just a local icon but a global ambassador of Orillia whose melodies continue to resonate with audiences worldwide," he said.
The renaming of Centennial Drive to Lightfoot Drive is taking immediate effect. Over the next few weeks, the city will be making changes to official maps and listings and updating road signage.
To commemorate this new tribute to Gordon Lightfoot further, Orillia will also be installing banners depicting Lightfoot and some of his greatest hits along the entirety of Lightfoot Drive later this spring.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 120 active fires burning across Canada, 30 are 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
A Toronto man killed his mother and decapitated her. His lawyers argue it wasn't murder
A ‘lifetime of abuse’ led Dallas Ly to snap and repeatedly stab his mother inside their Leslieville apartment in 2022 but he never intended to kill her, his defence lawyers argued during his murder trial in Toronto on Thursday.
Father charged with second-degree murder in daughter's stabbing death southwest of Montreal
A father has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of his 34-year-old daughter in southern Quebec.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
The latest advice for expecting parents? Sign up for childcare as soon as you're pregnant
Canada's new $10-a-day child care program is expanding, but there's growing evidence that demand for the program is rising even faster, leaving many parents on the outside looking in.
'Worried he might be carrying a handgun': Legislative Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, claims he was harassed and intimidated
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.
Apple resolves FaceTime, iMessage outage reported by thousands of users
Apple users are experiencing an iMessage outage, reporting issues with sending and receiving messages, Downdetector shows.