Thanks to Anthony Ghezzo
TORONTO MOURNS BELOVED 'MAYOR OF LITTLE ITALY''
'We've lost someone that to me, was larger than life,'
Premier says of CHIN founder: Johnny Lombardi
BY Mary Vallis
National Post Online, with files from The Canadian Press
March 20, 2002
Johnny Lombardi, the unofficial mayor of Toronto's Little Italy and
pioneering multicultural broadcaster, has died at age 86.
Mr. Lombardi wore many hats, although he will be fondly remembered for
the
trademark baseball cap that rarely left his head.
He was an entertainer, impresario, war veteran, family man and
self-proclaimed hustler who loved the challenges of doing business.
He passed
away in hospital on Monday following a brief illness.
Mr. Lombardi was a "great big part"of Toronto who contributed to the
city's
success, said Mel Lastman, the Mayor. "Johnny invented multicultural
radio in
Toronto. He showed people they've got to be proud of what and who they
are --
and he will always be remembered for that."
The son of poor Italian immigrants, Mr. Lombardi was born in downtown
Toronto
in 1915. He would die a multi-millionaire.
His father, Leonardo, struggled to find work during the Depression.
Mr.
Lombardi spent nights and weekends during his high school years working
for
an Italian-language newspaper writing a "snipper-snooper" gossip column
for
young people like himself. He was paid $2.50 a week.
He loved music. At the age of 16, he formed his own eight-piece band
and
played at weddings and community halls. Mr. Lombardi played the trumpet.
By
the time the Second World War started, he was playing professionally.
Mr. Lombardi enlisted in 1942 and was stationed in Belgium, Normandy,
Germany
and Holland.
When he returned to Toronto in 1946, he opened Lombardi's Supermarket
on
College Street. He bought truckloads of overripe produce from his competitors
and sold it at bargain prices while Italian music blared from speakers.
Mr. Lombardi's love affair with broadcasting began when an advertising
representative for CHUM Radio suggested advertising the store. He could
not
afford it. But, always thinking, he convinced the station to sell him
an hour
of air time on Sundays for an Italian music show, the cost of which
he
covered by recruiting his own advertisers.
His store and show flourished. He then branched out into concert promotion
and in 1966, founded the first multicultural and multilingual radio
station
in Ontario above his supermarket.
To celebrate the birth of CHIN Radio, Mr. Lombardi threw a giant
international picnic on Centre Island.
Now in its 36th year, CHIN Radio/TV International has grown into an
empire
broadcasting to 30 cultural communities in many languages. The party
tradition has lived on: Billed as the world's largest free picnic,
the annual
event attracts hundreds of thousands of people every Canada Day weekend.
Mr.
Lombardi could always be found in the thick of the action, often with
a Miss
CHIN bikini contestant on his arm.
He will be remembered for his generous spirit, Mike Harris, the Ontario
Premier, said yesterday.
Mr. Lombardi was a tireless fundraiser for countless charities. He had
amassed innumerable awards and medals, including military honours,
the Order
of Canada, the Toronto Civic Award of Merit and the Broadcaster of
the Year
award.
"We've lost somebody that to me, was larger than life," Mr. Harris said.
"You
know, he fought in the war, he started with nothing, he gave all of
us a
positive, good feeling about the country and about life. So we're going
to
miss him."
Street signs on College Street between Clinton and Grace streets mark
Johnny
Lombardi Way. The area, once home to Lombardi's Supermarket, now houses
the
CHIN Radio building.
Mr. Lombardi is survived by his wife, Lena, and his three children,
Lenny,
Theresa and Donina Lombardi-Hartig, who work at CHIN, and five grandchildren.
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mvallis@nationalpost.com
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