Torontonians pay respects to Jack Layton at city hall

An enormous crowd had gathered at City Hall on Saturday morning as mourners lined up for a final public visitation for Jack Layton.

The visitation began Saturday at  9 a.m. and will end at 11 a.m., ahead of Layton’s state funeral, which is slated to begin at 2 p.m. at Roy Thomson Hall.

The funeral procession will start at 1:15 p.m. and will travel the following route: west on Queen Street, south on University Avenue, west on King Street and south on Simcoe Street.

About 600 spaces have been made available to the public inside Roy Thomson Hall for the funeral. Wrist bands for those seats will be given out at 8 a.m. Saturday on King Street outside the Roy Thomson. There will be additional seating aross the street at St. Andrew’s Church, where mourners can watch a live feed of the funeral.

And from coast to coast, Canadians will be watching the Toronto ceremony. Click here to see the list of events.

On Friday, thousands of people arrived at City Hall to pay their respects to Layton, whose efforts to stick up for those without a voice endeared him to citizens of all political stripes.

The late Opposition leader’s flag-draped casket arrived to applause, bicycle bells and shouts of “thank you” at city hall, where he served as a councillor for nearly 20 years, after a two-day lying-in-state at Parliament Hill that ended Thursday afternoon.

The casket was greeted Thursday night by Layton’s wife, NDP MP Olivia Chow, his son, Coun. Mike Layton and Mayor Rob Ford.

People began lining up outside city hall around 5 a.m. Friday for the chance to personally pay their respects.  About 4,000 people attended the visitation.

Richard Harrison was the first person in line.

“He had so much more to do and give to all Canadians,” he said.

While standing in line and holding symbolic bread and roses early Friday, Francine Dick said, “He fought for people to have the basics so they would have food and shelter. He fought for the disadvantaged, but he also recognized that we should have joy and beauty in our lives.”

Layton died early Monday morning after losing his battle with cancer. He was 61.

The mayor attended the visitation Friday morning and said he offered “a little prayer and thanked him for everything he taught me” when he placed his hand on Layton’s casket Thursday evening.

Despite their opposing political views, Ford said Layton took the time to show him the ropes when he was first elected to city council and admitted “I wouldn’t be here today” if it weren’t for Layton’s guidance.

“He used to encourage me,” Ford said before walking around to look at the chalk messages written on walls around Nathan Phillips Square. Click here to see some pictures of that tribute.

“I am completely overwhelmed by the love and support at City Hall today. Thank you Toronto, you are so kind,” Layton’s son Michael tweeted Friday afternoon.

Former mayor Barbara Hall recalled Layton’s serious work ethic and playful personality. Like many others who’ve visited Nathan Phillips Square since Layton’s death, she said she was overwhelmed by the messages.

“I guess one of the things that really strikes me is how intelligent and thoughtful the comments are,” she said, noting that is indicative of “the impact Jack had on the city, beyond the city, really on people right across Canada.”

Former mayor Mel Lastman also had fond memories of Layton.

“Jack was the conscience of Toronto,” he said.

“He would push like hell. He wasn’t the kind of guy who went for the throat. He stuck to the issues.”

The public visitation at city hall began at 9 a.m. and ended at 8 p.m. Dignitaries, including former mayor David Miller, Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Ontario Lt.-Gov. David Onley, city councillors and Layton’s family paid their respects between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.

As a city councillor, Layton fought to push the issues of HIV, homelessness and the environment to the fore at city hall. He was often seen riding his bicycle around Toronto and is credited with getting cyclists places to lock their bikes on sidewalks and bike lanes.

Layton was also responsible for getting curbside recycling going in the city.

He persuaded Lastman to give up his plan to get the homeless off the streets by arresting them.

“He cared about the city — he really did,” Lastman said.

While Layton may have been a well-known councillor, he lost his bid to sit in the mayor’s chair in 1991. He was first elected to council in 1982.

Layton ran as a federal candidate for the NDP in 1993 and 1997 and lost both times.

He won the NDP leadership in 2003, even before he had a seat in the House of Commons, and steadily increased the party’s standing, eventually earning the party Official Opposition status for the first time in its history last May.

The CN Tower and Niagara Falls will be lit orange in Layton’s honour Saturday night.

With files from The Canadian Press and Avery Haines