Canada's Walk of Fame plans to shift galaxy to new site

The stars in Canada's Walk of Fame are about to get a new all-weather home in Toronto's theatre district.

The Walk of Fame announced Tuesday that it has chosen a new location and new design for the celebrity showcase, which honours Canadian talent such as Celine Dion and Mike Myers.

The Walk of Fame agency has chosen a winner in a competition to redesign the site, Toronto-based pgm Design Associates.

The site will be moved to Metro Square, an expanse of concrete and grass in the theatre district next to Roy Thomson Hall and across from the Royal Alex and Princess of Wales theatres.

"It's the beginning of a new era in which we elevate and separate Canada's Walk of Fame from other similar tributes around the world,"Peter Soumalias, president and chief executive of the Walk of Fame, said in a statement.

The chosen design features a "forest of light," a series of light columns that will illuminate the area year-round and which are coloured to be reminiscent of the northern lights.

'Very bold statement'

The pgm design also involves video screens that could include information about the stars and comments from visitors.

The Walk of Fame, established in 1998, honours 101 Canadian celebrities with red paving stones etched with a star, the name of the artist and his or her signature. A handful of names is added to the galaxy annually.

The walk stretches along King Street and can go all but unnoticed in winter when it is covered in snow.

The new design calls for moving the stars to the new location and keepingthe sitefree of snow.

"The scheme has been designed for four seasons, for day and night and to operate on many different levels as a very visual, very bold statement about Canadian stars," said Patrick Morello of pgm.

The design was chosen from a shortlist of 14 entries from Canada and the U.S.

Construction is expected to begin in a year.