There were some feelings hurt. Harsh words uttered. But in the end, it was the right result: Joel Zimmerman (Deadmau5) going on the Niagara Falls Arts & Culture Wall of Fame.

Here’s the quick version of this week’s drama: The list of six inductees was presented to council Monday night, councillor Janice Wing was disgusted that Joel Zimmerman wasn’t on it, council added his name to the list. At least one member of the A & C Committee quit over it, and there will likely be some lingering resentment on both sides.

But the fact remains, Zimmerman is a huge star right now. Why delay putting him on our Wall of Fame? Why would the committee willingly bypass the buzz and publicity Zimmerman’s induction would surely generate? It would be like Stratford putting off any chance to honour Justin Bieber … it makes zero sense.

Council, and especially Mayor Jim Diodati, made it clear: We don’t want to celebrate our homegrown talent when they’re deceased or long past their prime. And half of this year’s slate of inductees is a painful reminder of that.

Bob McAdorey – dead.

Frank Shuster- dead.

Brian Smylski – dead.

These are all great, worthy names who won’t get to enjoy this honour. Having family and friends speak on their behalf is fine, but it’s also a reminder they’re no longer with us. In Shuster and McAdorey’s case, they died before the Wall of Fame was established in 2006, but they still weren’t properly honoured by the city while they were alive. Smylski, who died earlier this year, was an active member of the arts and culture committee, and would put names forward for the Wall of Fame himself. He spent two decades saving the Niagara Falls Art Gallery from extinction … why are we recognizing him only when he’s gone?

It’s the nature of any Wall of Fame – sports, arts, etc. – to celebrate the achievements of the deceased. In many cases, it’s the first chance to do so. But we can’t push aside the here and now – Deadmau5 is one of the top electronic music producers in the world. He comes from an artistic Niagara Falls family. He has more than four million followers on Facebook and plays the Rogers Centre in November. That’s not someone you say “Maybe next year” to.

Hopefully, the A & C Committee will file this under ‘Lesson Learned.’