The Great North American Rush Off To Celebrate Neil Peart

05-28-2025

(Chipster) Buffalo's #1 morning show, 97 Rock's Shredd & Ragan, is excited to announce The Great North American Rush Off-a heartfelt tribute to one of rock's greatest legends, Neil Peart, the iconic drummer of Canada's #1 band, Rush. This project aims to honor Peart's legacy while raising funds for The Neil Peart Memorial at Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie, St. Catharines, his hometown.

In 2020, the St. Catharines City Council, with overwhelming community support, voted to name the newly rebuilt pavilion at Lakeside Park after Neil Peart. However, the vision for this memorial extends beyond the pavilion. Plans are in place to erect two larger-than-life bronze sculptures of Neil Peart, connected by a pathway featuring experiential and interpretive elements that celebrate his personal and professional legacies, including his time with Rush.

**Join Us in Celebrating Neil Peart's Legacy!** The Great North American Rush Off is designed to spark conversations about the urgent need to raise funds -$500,000- to kickstart the construction of The Neil Peart Memorial. Unfortunately, momentum has slowed since the project's announcement prior to the pandemic. But fear not-Shredd & Ragan are here to help reignite the passion!

"Rush means so much to music fans in the Buffalo area, so we wanted to find a way to help fans give back," remarked Shredd & Ragan. "When we tell them about the Neil Peart Memorial, they can't wait to help."

**A Call For Covers**

Shredd & Ragan are calling on bands-both local and national-to submit their Rush cover songs. These tracks will be featured in a curated digital and physical compilation, with all proceeds benefiting The Neil Peart Memorial.

"This will be a fitting tribute to Neil and a spectacular monument where fans can gather and share their memories," said David DeRocco of the Neil Peart Memorial Committee. "I'm looking forward to hearing the tributes being created through The Great North American Rush Off, and even more excited to be moving this project forward to completion."

**The Goal**

By launching this project, Shredd & Ragan's goal is to create awareness for the various sponsorship packages available to help raise the necessary funds. Individual Rush fans can purchase $500 CAD "Wood Level Sponsorship" packages which includes a personalized message of up to 250 characters displayed at the park. If all of the packages are sold, the park will raise the necessary funds to fully complete the project.

"When we started digging into the idea of raising money for the park, it became apparent that our mission is to help raise awareness that this park exists and needs to be funded," explains MX2 Media's Michael Parrish. "If our efforts spread the word to the legion of Rush fans around the world, I have no doubt they will rise up and help turn this park from a concept to reality."

The Great North American Rush Off is just getting started and will expand as word spreads. A charity concert is also being planned in Buffalo featuring some of the bands that submitted songs, along with a charity auction of high-value items donated to help raise funds.

Together, we can turn this vision into reality. Stay tuned for updates and get involved today!

Peace & Love!
Shredd & Ragan