To address wind load issues, Sunset Neon worked with engineers to develop a louvred structure for the main sign.
A long wait
In 2011, Ryerson unveiled the architectural designs for the new eight-storey student learning centre (SLC) that would replace the defunct music store, with construction scheduled for completion by late 2014. While this building would clearly offer academic spaces for students, faculty and staff, however, it was less clear where the Sam’s signage would be displayed, despite the university’s legal requirement to do so. There was still no answer when Sniderman passed away in late 2012 at the age of 92.
In 2014, as construction of the SLC neared completion and it was clear Ryerson had no intention of integrating the neon records after all, Toronto’s city council supported a new proposal to reinstall the signage atop 277 Victoria Street, home to Toronto Public Health’s offices and also next to Yonge-Dundas Square. Ryerson would still cover all restoration, installation and ongoing maintenance costs, but no timeline was set for the sign’s return to public view.
Finally, in 2017, two years after the opening of the SLC and one year after issuing a request for proposals (RFP), Ryerson commissioned Hamilton-based Sunset Neon to handle the work. David Carley, Sunset’s owner and president, says his company won the job based on its experience in and reputation for in-house glass bending (it still has a neon department, unlike most sign shops), innovative ideas and dedicated project management.
“It was also important we had a facility that could handle the magnitude of the project,” he says. “This sign is huge!”
Account manager Tony Bianchi, who had already done work for Ryerson and had written up a feasibility report, was selected to oversee the project.
The structure holding the records was set up about 1.8 m (6 ft) back form the edge of the roof.
Reuse or replace?
The first challenge was to determine which of the components—in commercial storage by this point—could be reused and which would need to be replaced, keeping in mind Sniderman’s family had insisted on continuing to illuminate the spinning discs with neon, rather than switching to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or another technology.
“We had to pull everything out and look it over,” says Bianchi. “It was amazing to discover just how well some of the original components had aged.”
The two sets of letters spelling out ‘Sam’ above the records were reusable, but only after they were repainted and the original wiring and sockets, both neon and incandescent, were removed and replaced with LEDs.
The records’ centre spindles, the older of which turned out to be a 3.8-L (1-gal) paint can, were also salvageable, as was about 80 per cent of the red neon glass tubing for the message ‘That’s Entertainment’ (which had replaced the record companies’ ads since 1987).
The white neon lighting for the spinning records, however, needed to be remade for the new structure, as the old glass tubes contained lead and would no longer have shone brightly.
“We had a hard time finding new neon components in this day and age,” says Bianchi. “In the end, our supplier had to source them from the U.S.”
Given this dearth of availability, new glass was also blown for replacement parts, to be used 10 or 20 years in the future.
The two sets of letters spelling out ‘Sam’ above the records were reusable, but only after they were repainted and the original wiring and sockets, both neon and incandescent, were removed and replaced with LEDs.
“We created spare components and transformers that are housed on-site in a penthouse-level cabinet, so when the time comes for servicing, they can all be easily accessed,” says Carley.
“I can ride the subway there with just a tool belt and I’ll be able to fix that sign,” says Bianchi. “There’s already a swing stage mounted in place for doing repairs.”
Meanwhile, The Brothers Markle, who still operate their business in Toronto, updated the electronic light-flasher units that make the records appear to rotate. Indeed, they had invented this technology, which was used to upgrade the sign from mechanical flashers back in 1998.
“Sam Markle himself has provided replacement flashers that match the same sequence,” says Carley.
The backlit signboxes below the records had to be completely rebuilt using aluminum frames, LED modules and power packs.
“The old ones, which were acrylic, had pretty much disintegrated,” says Bianchi.
