ORILLIA, Ont. — An anonymous donor from south of the border is helping ensure the sun doesn't go down on Gordon Lightfoot's legacy in his hometown.
At a recent auction, the donor helped the Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) acquire dozens of treasures from Lightfoot's illustrious music career.
Ninette Gyorody, the museum's executive director, says she is "thrilled" the museum was able to obtain significant items from the Gordon Lightfoot Estate Auction, which was held on Nov. 17 through Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, Texas.
She said OMAH acquired 50 items, including guitars, clothing, awards, and items related to Orillia and Massey Hall in Toronto.
"There's been a lot of talk since he passed away about how we should honour him in his hometown," Gyorody said. "We've talked about how we could do it here."
Those talks were buoyed when the anonymous donor, who wanted items from the renowned singer's life to be on display for his hometown fans, approached the museum to lend a hand.
"They wanted them to be accessible to everyone as opposed to collectors," she said. "It makes sense for Orillia's community museum to house this collection."
The generous donor from the United States spent over $300,000 on the items that will soon be displayed at the downtown museum.
"We are dedicated to having an exhibition with objects that we will rotate," Gyorody said. "We made sure that we had enough where we could refresh the exhibition a couple of times a year."
Gyorody says the exhibition celebrating the music icon will open at OMAH in June 2025. She believes it will draw more tourism to Orillia.
In a media release, officials noted the legendary Orillia-born singer's influence has "resonated across decades, inspiring audiences worldwide" with hits such as If You Could Read My Mind and The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. As a proud Orillia native, his impact on the community is immeasurable.
The artifacts will help bring his story to life, offering visitors an "intimate connection" to the man behind the music.
"This is a milestone moment for our museum and our city," said Gyorody. "Gordon Lightfoot meant so much to so many people. This will bolster our city next year."
Mayor Don McIsaac says the acquisition of Lightfoot memorabilia is "fantastic" news for Orillia.
"Orillia loved Gordon and he loved us back," he said. "This is his hometown. We have a lot of stuff dedicated to him and we want to continue that."
McIsaac says the municipality and OMAH have been working "tirelessly" to ensure Lightfoot's legacy is cemented in Orillia. He hopes at some point there will be a Lightfoot museum in Orillia.
"We are working on that," he said. "We have a committee ... to look at the establishment of a museum in Orillia and that's still active."
OMAH is hoping to acquire even more Lightfoot items in the future. To do so, they need support from community members, organizations, and businesses.
"We are now watching the next auction, which is in early December," Gyorody said. "We are making a new wish list."
Donations or sponsorships of any size are welcomed to help OMAH secure more items for the Lightfoot exhibit, she said.
Contributions can be made through OMAH’s website. Or, you can contact the museum directly through OMAH’s development officer, Vanessa Santala at 705-326-2159, extension 105.
