Rush Members Helped Push Campaign For Permanent Neil Peart Memorial in Ontario Park Over the Top With Massive Donation

Rush singer Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson just made sure that their late bandmate drummer Neil Peart will have a permanent memorial in his old hometown. Six years after a campaign was launched to raise $1 million for a Peart memorial in Lakeside Park in St. Catharines, Ontario — near the spot where Peart spent his youth — Lee and Lifeson recently presented a check for $785,000 to the Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force Fundraising sub-committee, helping to secure the goal amount, according to CKTB News.

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During their ongoing Fifty Something tour, Rush earmarked a portion of the proceeds from their VIP tickets to the memorial for the drummer who died in 2020 after a battle with brain cancer; Lee also donated $1 from every ticket sold during his book tour for his My Effin Life memoir.

“After years of dedicated work by the Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force and the incredible community support that brought us near the finish line, this remarkable contribution from Rush secures our $1-million fundraising goal,” said St. Catharines city manager, community programs and parks Eric Lamothe in a statement about the massive check presented to the fundraising task force after their hometown shows at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Aug. 13.

“This public art memorial will be far more than a tribute to Neil Peart; it elevates the park into a world-class cultural landmark,” he continued. “We are thrilled to see a space that is already a beloved destination for residents and tourists become a global beacon for enthusiastic music fans to gather, reflect, and celebrate an icon for generations to come.”

The campaign launched in 2020 in an effort to place a statue or plaque dedicated to drummer and lyricist Peart in the park that inspired the song “Lakeside Park” on Rush’s 1975 Caress of Steel album.

According to CKTB News, a staff report will be presented during a city council meeting this month detailing next steps. Morgan MacDonald of the Newfoundland Bronze Foundry was selected to design the memorial for the pavilion in Lakeside Park, which was renamed Neil Peart Pavilion in Sept. 2024. The concept from MacDonald’s team includes two larger-than-life bronze sculptures of Peart, which will be connected by a pathway offering “experiential and interpretive features providing insight into Peart’s personal and professional legacies, including his time with the band,” according to the City of St. Catharines site. The memorial park is officially slated to open in late 2027.