Worthy inductees to Scarborough Walk of Fame
Deb Bodine, editor-in-chief of Toronto Community News (which publishes The Mirror), made the announcement Monday, July 7, at a meeting of Scarborough Community Council.
This year's inductees are being honoured in the fields of community service, entertainment, education, health and science, and sports.
Named to the Scarborough Walk of Fame for 2008 are The Robbie International Soccer Tournament, and its namesake the late Robbie Wimbs, in the community category; Earl Campbell, former Scarborough education director, in the education category; the late Dr. Sheela Basrur, Toronto and Ontario's former medical officer of health, in the health and science category; Rick Middleton, former star with the NHL's Boston Bruins, in the sports category; Ben Heppner, the world-renowned tenor, in the entertainment category; and Deborah Cox, a Juno-Award-winning singer, songwriter and actress, in the entertainment category.
This worthy list of six inductees join the 17 men and women previously inducted into the Walk of Fame in its first two years.
The Robbie, as the soccer tournament is affectionately known, grew from humble beginnings in the mid-1960s to become one of the world's largest charitable youth soccer tournaments. In its 42 years it has seen teams from around the world gather in Scarborough. Along with raising our community's profile internationally, it has also provided invaluable soccer opportunities for local players.
A respected educator with strong Scarborough roots, Campbell served to expand educational opportunities for not just local residents but also at the provincial and national level. He is a member of the Canadian Education Leadership Network of The Conference Board of Canada and past-president of the Ontario and Canadian offices of The Council for Exceptional Children.
Basrur, who died after a fight with cancer earlier this year, was a longtime Scarborough resident who served as East York's, Toronto's and Ontario's medical officer of health during her distinguished career. She advanced the cause of public health and safety in every position she held. As the amalgamated City of Toronto's first medical officer of health, she played a heroic role in containing the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak of 2003.
Middleton was a star forward with the Boston Bruins in an NHL career that spanned 14 seasons. Originally drafted in the first round by the New York Rangers in 1974, he was traded to the Bruins in 1976. Middleton eventually captained the Bruins and was also a key member of the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup teams. He ended his NHL career with 448 goals, 540 assists more than 1,000 games.
Heppner, a longtime Scarborough resident, has achieved international opera stardom and is recognized as the world's finest performing dramatic tenor. He has excelled in some of opera's most dramatic roles such as Wagner's Tristan and Lohengrin and Verdi's Otello. His performances in concerts and recording have set new standards for dramatic tenors.
Cox, who grew up in Scarborough and now makes Los Angeles her home, has won multiple Juno Awards for her rhythm and blues singing. She began her career at age 12, sang with Celine Dion and saw her 1998 hit Nobody's Supposed to be Here top the Billboard R and B charts for 14 weeks.
Be sure to mark Thursday, Oct. 23 on your calendar and make plans to join the Scarborough Walk of Fame festivities.
