Montreal delays decision to rename Place des Festivals after jazz legend Peterson

Montreal city council has postponed a motion to rename Place des Festivals in honour of the late Montreal jazz legend Oscar Peterson.

Lionel Perez, leader of the official opposition party, tabled the motion during Tuesday morning’s council meeting, but Émilie Thuillier, executive committee member responsible for heritage, said it was still too early to decide on the proposal, seeing as Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante still needed time to discuss the matter with Peterson’s family.

She said it was on the mayor’s agenda for early next month.

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READ MORE: Montreal opposition pushes to rename Place des Festivals to honour Oscar Peterson

“At the end of the day, what we want is a place named after, honouring Mr. Peterson that is befitting of the stature and the legacy that he has had and brought to Montreal,” said Perez.

“So if it takes a few more days, then so be it.”

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“We are looking forward that next month, at the November city council that we have a unanimous vote in favour of this motion,” he added.

The next city council will take place on Nov. 16.

Earlier this month, Oscar Peterson’s widow, Kelly Peterson said the initiative would be a “wonderful” way to honour her late husband’s jazz legacy.

READ MORE: ‘Warms my heart’: Oscar Peterson’s widow thrilled by petition to change metro station name

Back in June, a petition to rename the Lionel Groulx metro station “Oscar Peterson station” gathered more than 26,000 signatures.

The city of Montreal and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) denied the request.