Sam the Record Man sign to light up Yonge-Dundas Square

Sam the Record Man sign rendering, as seen from Dundas Square. (City of Toronto)

The iconic Sam the Record Man sign lit up part of Yonge Street for 47 years before being removed as the building was demolished. Now after six years in the dark due to political wrangling, the sign is finally getting a new home.

Toronto city council voted Thursday to install the sign on the roof of a city-owned building on the east side of Dundas Square.

Ryerson University was granted permission to build a new student learning centre on the original location after agreeing to restore the giant neon spinning records after the building was complete. But the school claimed the sign would clash with architectural designs and distract students.

The decision today means Ryerson isn’t responsible for installing the sign at the original location, but will have to foot the bill installing, operating and maintaining the sign at its new place.

“There was a number of people, ourselves included, that thought we could find a better location,” Ryerson’s outgoing president and vice chancellor told BlogTO last year. “We were always willing to meet the obligation of putting it on Gould Street, that was never the question.”

There used to be a number of Sam the Record Man stores across Ontario, including the flagship location in downtown Toronto. But today the only store that remains is in Belleville.

The sign is currently in hundreds of pieces at a warehouse north of Toronto and council is making steps to ensure it will be visible for years to come. They voted that the any future owner of the building would be responsible for the preservation of the sign.

Here are some additional renderings courtesy of the City of Toronto.

Here is the Sign in its heyday on Yonge Street.