City council will hear today whether or not a Toronto-themed souvenir shop is a viable addition for Toronto city hall.
Back in July, Beaches-East York Coun. Mary-Margaret McMahon penned a letter to fellow councillors recommending “creating a City of Toronto store within city hall” that would sell “City of Toronto and TTC-branded goods” as a revenue tool for the city.
In her motion, McMahon suggested that the shop offer visitors and tourists a range of “the best of Toronto’s locally made-products as well as souvenirs of their visit.”
“It is a lost opportunity that a visitor to Toronto City Hall can’t purchase a book on our city’s history,” she said in the letter. “Further, the TTC has one of the strongest brands in Toronto (and) unfortunately, there is no central place to purchase a TTC mug or T-shirt.”
McMahon went on to suggest the possibility of satellite locations, which she said could be opened at other locations across the city.
The proposal asked the city manager to report back in November with specific recommendations pertaining to where exactly the store could be located and how a store operator could be chosen.
Back in August, Toronto Mayor John Tory called the suggestion of the store a “worthwhile initiative.”
The city manager is expected to discuss the feasibility of the shop at the government management committee meeting this afternoon.
