Norm Kelly wants more 3D signs to reinforce ‘cool’ Toronto brand

TORONTO – Norm Kelly is asking council to order up three more 3D signs, similar to the existing TORONTO sign, spelling out “The 6,” “T.O.” and “T.Dot.”

“I was quite taken aback by the success of the Pan Am TORONTO sign. … There isn’t a time where there isn’t someone taking photographs with it, posing for photographs. It has been an unqualified success,” Kelly said.

“That got me thinking about what I would call ‘signature signs’, and with my experience over the summer and my deeper involvement with the millennial generation made me understand that there are other ways to refer to Toronto. … There are a lot of people out there – internationally, not just Toronto – that think of Toronto as ‘The 6′ or ‘The T. Dot’.”

The TORONTO sign which is now on display in Nathan Phillips Square near City Hall, cost just over $90,000.

The councillor tweeted Friday morning his intention to present the motion to Council. He says it’ll be debated at the next meeting on Nov. 3.

https://twitter.com/norm/status/649952948949250049/photo/1

The motion, backed by Councillor Justin Di Ciano, says “the recent installation of the 3D Toronto sign on Nathan Phillips Square has been enthusiastically received by Torontonians.”

“Using Toronto nicknames to further expand this initiative will reinforce the modern, ‘cool’ Toronto brand and allow easier access to those not near City Hall to enjoy the variety of Toronto’s signature signs and take pictures with them.”

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The 74-year-old Kelly said Economic Development and Culture is already doing a study on the TORONTO sign that would possibly see putting identical signs in other locations.

“I thought, well, jeeze – if you are going to do that … why not take a look at ‘The 6′ or ‘T.Dot’ and ‘T.O.’ as well?” Kelly said.

The TORONTO sign, originally created as a landmark for the Pan Am and Para Pan games, has gotten a lot of praise from both locals and tourists.

Mayor John Tory said in September he even caught romantics “engage in intimate activity” in the sign’s ‘O.’

READ MORE: Mayor catches people in ‘intimate embrace’ in ‘O’ of ‘TORONTO’ sign

Kelly’s motion also directs Economic Development and Culture to explore private sponsorships to cover the cost of the proposed signs.

The motion will be discussed at the next council meeting in November.