A Tribute to
Ed Mirvsh

Ed Mirvish is the first winner of the Jane Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award.

For over seven decades Torontonians have come to love and take pride in Edwin "Honest Ed" Mirvish thanks to his extraordinary contribution to the community, his acts of kindness, business acumen and unfaltering sense of humour.

It all began in the 1940s when Ed and his remarkable wife, Anne, opened Canada's first discount retail store, Honest Ed's, home of the free annual Turkey Day and Ed Mirvish Day, when they invite the public to join in celebrating his birthday. Ed and Anne have been married 63 years and on July 24, 2004 he will celebrate another special milestone, his 90th birthday in Mirvish Village on Markham Street - a collection of boutiques, book stores, artist studios and restaurants which he and his family also founded.

Entering the world of show business in 1963, Ed saved the majestic Royal Alexandra Theatre on King Street west from demolition; it has since been declared as a historical landmark. Nearby, Ed built his "World Famous Restaurants," which were in existence for nearly 40 years. In 1982, he also purchased the historic Old Vic Theatre in London, England. In 1983, Ed and his son, David, built that jewel of Toronto's Entertainment District, The Princess of Wales Theatre. Credited with launching Toronto's thriving entertainment district, the Mirvish family has presented over 500 theatrical productions here and abroad, winning the industry's highest honors from the Oliviers (UK) and Tonys (USA) to the Doras in Canada.

Among Ed's numerous honors are The Retail Council of Canada's Distinguished Retailer of the Year Award, the Order of Canada, the Order of Ontario, the Order of the Commander of the British Empire and induction into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame - to name a few. Ed has received honourary degrees from five Canadian universities and from Tel Aviv University in Israel. Noted for his distinguished contribution to Canadian theatre, he is also the recipient of The Drama Bench Award and a prestigious honourary membership in the Canadian Actors Equity Association. David, Ed and Anne's son, continues to head the various Mirvish enterprises that have helped contribute so much to Toronto's public realm.

Jane Jacobs is a distinguished Canadian whose vision and leadership have fostered the development of cities around the world. Known for her dedicated and thoughtful activism, contributions to urban theory, numerous publications plus her energetic devotion and determination, Jane has encouraged us to look for the best in ourselves and to never give up.

In her latest book, Dark Age Ahead, Jane again reminds us of the importance of cherishing, nurturing and utilizing our own cultural characteristics in the pursuit of practical solutions.

Jane pursues her own ideas and values with "the pragmatism of an engineer, the authority of a Mother Superior and the passion of an Old Testament prophet," says her friend, David Crombie.