2013 Stars
Barenaked Ladies – Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, Tyler Stewart – Entertainment
Christine Bentley – Community
Dwayne Morgan – Arts and Culture
Judie Oliver – Sports
Gerry Phillips – Community
Scarborough Historical Society – Lionel Purcell, Richard Schofield – Community
Monika Schnarre – Arts and Culture
2011 Stars
Peter Appleyard – Entertainment
Dr. Vicki Bismilla – Education
Lawrence Gowan – Entertainment
Jay C. Hope – Community
Dr. Dhun Noria – Health and Science
Dr. Harold Stein – Health and Science
Ron Watson – Community
2009 Stars
Marilyn Denis – Entertainment
Dwayne De Rosario – Sports
Gordon Deval – Sports
Lois James – Environment
Debra McGrath – Entertainment
Don Montgomery – Community (awarded posthumously)
2008 Stars
Dr. Sheela Basrur – Health and Science
Earl Campbell – Education
Deborah Cox – Entertainment
Ben Heppner – Entertainment
Rick Middleton – Sports
John Wimbs – Community
2007 Stars
James Bamford – Community
Johnny Cowell – Arts and Culture
Dr. Ming-Tat Cheung – Community
Bob Hunter – Environment
Cindy Nicholas – Sports
Anson Taylor – Education
2006 Stars
Dr. Lloyd Carlsen – Health and Science
Dr. R. H. King – Education
Dr. Charles C. Macklin – Science
Jamaal Magloire – Sports
Doris McCarthy – Arts and Culture *new bio for McCarthy see below
David Onley – Community
Vicky Sunohara – Sports
David Thomson – Pioneer
Wes Williams – Entertainment
Dr. Joseph Y. K. Wong – Community
Inductees
Ben Heppner is recognised world-wide as the finest dramatic tenor before the public today.
Born in Murrayville, B.C. in 1956, Heppner has been a longtime resident of Scarborough. Acclaimed in music capitals around the world for his beautiful voice and incredible dramatic sense, his performances on the opera stage, in concert with orchestra, in recital and on recordings have set new standards in the genre.
In 1974 Heppner began studies at the University of British Columbia Music School and won the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Talent Competition five years later. In 1988 he received the first Birgit Nilsson Prize at the Metropolitan Opera Auditions, making his United States debut at Carnegie Hall in a Command Performance for the King and Queen of Sweden and his U.S.opera debut as Walther von der Vogelweide in Tannhäuser at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
His European debut came one year later as Lohengrin at the Royal Swedish Opera, followed by his debut at La Scala, Milan in 1990 as Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and his Japanese debut with Das Lied von der Erde in 1991. Heppner has won numerous awards and distinctions, including several honorary doctorates from Canadian universities, the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Music Award 2005 and Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Medal 2002.
In 2001 he was made an Officer within the Order of Canada. His recordings have received a wealth of prestigious awards.