After the namesake of a park in Newmarket was convicted of sex crimes, the town has opted for a new name.
Frank Stronach Park in Newmarket is located at 850 Memorial Circle, in the centre of a residential area in Newmarket’s Copper Hills neighbourhood.
On Friday, the 93-year-old Stronach was found guilty on two counts of sexual assault.
Stronach is known as a businessman who made his name in Canada’s automotive parts industry, growing his company, Magna International, to a billion dollar corporation.
Trouble began for Stronach when Peel police arrested him in 2024 and charged him with two counts of sexual assault, rape, indecent assault on a female and forcible confinement.
During his hearing, Stronach pleaded not guilty to 12 charges stemming from alleged incidents involving seven complainants.
The allegations spanned from the late 1970s to the 1990s.
On June 19, he was found guilty on two of the charges by Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy.
The Newmarket park
“I think council felt that the two convictions of sexual assault and sexual interference just required us to take that step,” said Newmarket Mayor John Taylor.
“Having a park named after someone convicted of those crimes wasn’t appropriate and did not reflect the values of our community and we felt it was appropriate and necessary to make a change.”
Taylor confirmed to CTV News that the park will be renamed Veterans’ Park.
“The entire community around this park, every street in this area is named after a local veteran and each street sign actually has a poppy on the sign with the veteran’s name,” Taylor told CTV News.
“We just thought it was appropriate to work with that theme and that sort of recognition that’s been given to veterans in that area,” he added.
The park’s existing sign with the billionaire’s name on it has already been removed and the new Veterans’ Park sign is expected to be installed sometime this week.
Southlake
The cancer centre at Southlake Health is named after Stronach. When CTV News asked officials at the hospital about the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, they made the following statement:
“Sexual assault or violence of any kind has no place in society and will not be tolerated by Southlake.
A review of the philanthropic naming recognition of our cancer centre is underway following a formal request from Magna."
Aurora Sports Hall of Fame
Stronach is currently inducted into the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame.
The official statement from the hall of fame is the following:
“As this matter remains before the courts in Newmarket and may be subject to appeal, it would be premature for the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame to comment at this time. Out of respect for the ongoing legal process, we have no further comment,” says Javed S. Khan, president and chair of the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame.
