Rob Ford Stadium will become official with dedication ceremony

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Rob Ford will celebrate his heavenly birthday in style — with the unveiling of Rob Ford Stadium.

After a vote by Toronto city council in December 2023 to rename Etobicoke’s Centennial Stadium after the former mayor, the move will go through the uprights, so to speak, with an unveiling ceremony on Tuesday.

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The public event runs from 6-8 p.m. at Centennial Park at 256 Centennial Park Rd.

“My family and I are deeply moved by Toronto City Council’s decision to honour Rob’s service to his community by renaming Centennial Stadium after him,” read an X post on Monday afternoon from the account of Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Rob’s older brother.

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Born May 28, 1969, Rob Ford coached high school football in the stadium both before and during his time at City Hall.

The motion to rename the stadium passed 17-6 and Councillor Paul Ainslie, who brought forward the motion, said at the time that it was simply the right thing to do.

“All of those who served with Rob Ford on council knew that he had two passions — representing his constituents not only across the city but in particular in his home community of Etobicoke, and football,” Ainslie said.

A vote in 2017 to change the stadium’s name to honour him failed, despite support from former mayor John Tory.

“I thought this was an appropriate local recognition for someone who served locally for a number of years and who served as our mayor for four years, whatever his track record may have been during that time,” Tory said in 2017.

Rob Ford founded the Newtonbrook North Stars in 1999 and a successful football program at Don Bosco Catholic Secondary School in 2002. He also established the Rob Ford Football Foundation to help fund football programs in high schools across the city.

His tenure as Toronto’s 64th mayor — 2010-14 — was marred by addiction and controversy. He died at the age of 46 of a rare type of cancer on March 22, 2016.

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