The city should actively seek out opportunities for businesses to put their corporate stamp on publicly owned facilities, says a report coming to Toronto’s executive committee next week.
City manager Joe Pennachetti is recommending that council initiate a process to identify what properties would be ripe for renaming, a move designed to help fill the city’s nearly $800-million budget hole.
Though all city facilities would technically be on the table, it is unlikely residents will one day watch council proceedings inside Doritos City Hall.
“City Hall is clearly City Hall,” said Phyllis Berck, director of the Toronto Office of Partnerships, which is handling the file. Certain areas are implicitly “hands off,” she noted, while others would have to be carefully evaluated to determine the net benefit of renaming.
“You want something that enhances how people feel about it and what it’s known for… Some things will lend themselves more easily than others,” Ms. Berck said.
Proposals by individuals or corporations to rename a facility would be reviewed by council on a “case-by-case basis,” the report notes. They could range from naming an auditorium inside an existing facility to branding an entirely new park or community centre.
Budget chief Mike Del Grande said “anything and everything” should be considered.
“We can start with my office,” he said. “They can have all the naming rights to my office. I’m prepared to sell those.”
In a few cases, the city has already sold naming rights to its programs and facilities, including Scotiabank Nuit Blanche and the Saturn Playground. The proposed policy, which is appended in the report, ensures the city would retain ownership and control over any named properties, and dictates that names would be in place for a fixed term.
Mayor Rob Ford expressed support for the concept, which his brother, Councillor Doug Ford (Etobicoke North) has long advocated.
“When public resources are scarce, you don’t want to keep going back to the taxpayer for more and more money,” said Mr. Ford’s spokeswoman, Adrienne Batra. “You have to look for alternative revenue streams.”
Doug Ford said his constituents “don’t care if you put McDonald’s or Kraft or whatever, as long as we get new park equipment.”
But Councillor Adam Vaughan (Trinity-Spadina) suggested certain properties, such as City Hall, courthouses or local parks with special meaning for residents, should be off limits.
“Every name has a meaning and every meaning has a history that people are fond of… There needs to be a bit of sensitivity, a bit of thought,” Mr. Vaughan said.
National Post
