Sault passed over for Canadian Music Hall of Fame

Sault Ste. Marie's bid to become the home of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame got knocked off the turntable today.

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced that we didn't make the short list as a possible location.

Toronto, Winnipeg and Hamilton did make the list.

CARAS announced in June that it was seeking a permanent home for the Hall of Fame, which currently exists only online.

A proposal spearheaded by Councillor Terry Sheehan suggested that the hall be established on Sault Ste. Marie's waterfront, joining other nearby cultural facilities including the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Ermatinger Old Stone House Site/Clergue Park, Algoma Art Gallery, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum and the proposed Gateway project.

The following announcement was issued today by CARAS:

********************* Host city short list announced for Canadian Music Hall of Fame

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced that the Canadian Music Hall of Fame Committee (CMHF) has short-listed the cities of Hamilton, Toronto and Winnipeg for the bid to build a home for the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Final proposals from the three cities are to be submitted to the Committee by December 15, 2004.

An announcement of the successful bid will be made late January 2005.

"This decision has been an extremely hard one to make," said Ross Reynolds, Chairman of CARAS and Chair of the CMHF Committee.

"All of the proposals were unique and brought a diversity of ideas and suggestions to the table," said Reynolds.

"The winning bid however, must include a complex combination of factors, but simply put, we need to go with the site that can best showcase Canada's rich musical history to the widest possible audience."

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