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A new group of Canadian sports figures have been honoured by the city for their contributions to Toronto.
Long-tenured swimming coach Byron MacDonald headlines this year’s inductees into the Toronto Sport Hall of Honour, which were announced by the city on Thursday.
MacDonald, 72, scooped up the city of sport lifetime achievement honours following an illustrious career spanning decades. A gold medal winner at the 1970 Commonwealth Games as an athlete, he has held the head coaching job with the Varsity Blues since 1978, elevating hundreds of Canadian swimmers over the years.
He leads this year’s group of 17 Canadian individuals and organizations into the city’s sports hall, which celebrates those who have inspired others and brought recognition to Toronto through sports.
“From the gridiron to pool, and everywhere in between, Toronto is home to a long and storied tradition of sports excellency,” said city councillor Shelley Carroll, the city’s chair of economic and community development committee, in a release.
“They have charted the course for more people across the city to access the games they love and their efforts have made sports more meaningful and inclusive for all of us.”
Joining MacDonald in this year’s class are: Henoc Muamba and Summer McIntosh as athletes of the year; Shayne Smith and Claire Buchanan as para-athletes of the year; Jeffrey Campbell and Tatem Morrison as Special Olympics athletes of the year; Toronto Argonauts as team of the year; Ajay Sharma as coach of the year; Ann Doggett in the builder category; Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities in the corporate builder category; Katie Heggtveit in the spirit of sport diversity and inclusion category; Nora Young and Dwayne De Rosario as sport legends; as well as Mark Poyser, Hodan Hussein and Muhammad Wasiq Zia as community sport volunteers.
The Toronto Sport Hall of Honour started in 2016 as a legacy project of the city’s hosting duties for the 2015 Pan Am Games. Previous inductees include individuals like Pierce LePage, Andre De Grasse and Kylie Masse as well as teams and corporations like the Toronto Raptors and MLSE Foundation.