RUSH secures funding for Neil Peart Memorial in St. Catharines with $785K donation

RUSH members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson donated nearly $785,000 to secure a memorial for their late bandmate Neil Peart at Lakeside Park in St. Catharines.

St. Catharines city staff say Lee and Lifeson presented a cheque to the Neil Peart Commemorative Task Force Fundraising Sub-committee after the band wrapped the Toronto portion of their Fifty Something tour on Aug. 13.

Staff say that with the cheque, donations, and a portion of the proceeds from RUSH’s Fifty Something tour VIP experiences and packages, the project secured its $1 million goal.

“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 Eric Lamothe, the St. Catharines city manager for Community Programs and Parks in a statement. “This public art memorial will be far more than a tribute to Neil Peart; it elevates the park into a world-class cultural landmark. 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.”

WATCH MORE: Fundraising has started for the Neil Peart Memorial in St. Catharines

Peart was born in Hamilton on Sept. 12, 1952, and grew up in Port Dalhousie, a lakeside community in St. Catharines.

His experiences growing up were used as inspiration behind the song “Lakeside Park” from their 1975 album Caress of Steel.

After Peart’s death on Jan. 7, 2020, the City of St. Catharines and city council voted to commemorate the musician by naming a newly rebuilt pavilion at Lakeside Park after him — the pavilion is now known as the Neil Peart Pavilion.

The task force officially launched the fundraiser in September of 2024 to honour Peart with a memorial featuring two statues of Peart — one depicting him as a young artist and the other of him in his later years, holding a piece of his drum kit and offering his drumsticks to visitors.

READ MORE: Rush Drummer Neil Peart Dead At 67

Morgan MacDonald of The Newfoundland Bronze Foundry was selected to create the memorial in November of 2022.

A St. Catharines staff report is expected to be presented at a meeting Monday, with staff expecting the Neil Peart Memorial to open in late 2027.

There is currently no city budget allocated to the procurement, design, installation or maintenance for the project — the project was entirely funded from donations and sponsorships.

The fundraising campaign will officially close on Oct. 15, to allow fans to donate to the memorial including the chance to purchase a fan panel to leave a personal tribute to be engraved on the memorial.

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