Latest news with #JohnOliverSecondarySchool
Hamilton Spectator
22-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Vancouver dismantles and consolidates festival memorials, advocates say it's too soon
VANCOUVER - For almost four weeks, the tributes to victims of the Lapu Lapu Day festival attack have grown — piles of teddy bears, flowers, candles and cards stretching down Fraser Street from East 41st Avenue, then round the corner on East 43rd where the attack took place. The tributes surround John Oliver Secondary School, heaped up against a chain-link fence, as students walk by. But on Thursday, city workers were dismantling some of the memorials to the 11 people who died in the April 26 attack, putting wilted flowers into green compost bins and moving other items. The city said items such as cards, signs, and teddy bears will be moved to a newly designated memorial location at Mountain View Cemetery or stored off-site, while fresh flowers will be relocated to a memorial at 43rd and Fraser. The advocacy group Filipino BC said it was 'too soon to make major changes to the temporary memorial' around the school. Crystal Laderas, the group's media relations manager, said in in an interview at the site that they had received an influx of calls and texts from people concerned about changes to the memorial. She said the group had been visiting the site throughout the day to guide city workers. 'We really have to remember that it hasn't even been four weeks since this tragedy unfolded ... family members of victims and community members, they're navigating a lot of emotions that are really intense right now,' said Laderas. She said that in the Filipino Catholic tradition, there was a 40-day mourning process, after which loved ones' souls would ascend to the afterlife, said Laderas. 'This is an important period to many who believe their beloved community members are still here with us,' Laderas said. 'So, this is a time to gather in places for remembrance, to honor loved ones, and we do expect at that 40-day mark that we're going to see a lot of community members gather at the memorial site.' The city said in a statement that staff would 'carefully consolidate' the many memorials to the two designated locations. Deputy city manager Sandra Singh said it was 'difficult work' that would be done with 'care and respect' by city workers. 'We thank the local neighbourhood, Vancouver residents and community partners for their ongoing compassion, care and respect while this sensitive work is underway,' Singh said in a statement. Laderas said Filipino BC had been in communication with the city about the memorials since Wednesday morning to advocate on behalf of victims' families and community members. 'We're taking a victim-centered approach to this, just to make sure that any movement or major changes are communicated well to everybody, and that changes to the site don't create more harm.' In its statement posted on social media, the group says community members wanted the existing tributes to remain in place 'a little while longer.' 'Community members and loved ones have created something beautiful at the temporary memorial because they know exactly what's needed right now,' it says. The city said the consolidation of the memorials is being done in consultation with Vancouver Police Department Victim Services, which is in regular contact with the families of victims, and with the support of the Vancouver School Board. It said items that are perishable and wilted are being gently removed and composted, while items that represent a safety risk, such as broken candleholders, will be disposed of safely. Eleven people died and dozens were injured when an SUV drove through a street crowded with festival-goers. Adam Kai-Ji-Lo faces eight murder charges and police have said more are expected. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 22, 2025.
Toronto Star
22-05-2025
- Toronto Star
Vancouver dismantles and consolidates festival memorials, advocates say it's too soon
VANCOUVER - For almost four weeks, the tributes to victims of the Lapu Lapu Day festival attack have grown — piles of teddy bears, flowers, candles and cards stretching down Fraser Street from East 41st Avenue, then round the corner on East 43rd where the attack took place. The tributes surround John Oliver Secondary School, heaped up against a chain-link fence, as students walk by.
Toronto Star
22-05-2025
- Toronto Star
Vancouver consolidating festival attack memorials, but advocates say it's too soon
VANCOUVER - The City of Vancouver has started work to consolidate temporary memorials near the site of the Lapu Lapu Day festival attack, but an advocacy group says it's too soon. Workers at one memorial outside John Oliver Secondary School could be seen removing flowers and placing them in green compost bins.
Winnipeg Free Press
22-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver consolidating festival attack memorials, but advocates say it's too soon
VANCOUVER – The City of Vancouver has started work to consolidate temporary memorials near the site of the Lapu Lapu Day festival attack, but an advocacy group says it's too soon. Workers at one memorial outside John Oliver Secondary School could be seen removing flowers and placing them in green compost bins. Filipino BC says people are still navigating immense grief since the April 26 attack that killed 11 people, and an important part of collective healing is ensuring memorials are accessible and respected. A number of memorials have been growing around the school and at East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street, near where an SUV rammed through a crowd of festival-goers. The city says in a statement that staff will 'carefully consolidate' the many memorials to two locations, one at 43rd and Fraser and another at nearby Mountain View Cemetery. It says the work will be done in consultation with Vancouver Police Department Victim Services, which is in regular contact with the families of victims, and with the support of the Vancouver School Board. Deputy city manager Sandra Singh says it is 'difficult work' that will be done with 'care and respect' by city workers. Filipino BC says major changes to the sites should be done with care, compassion and in consultation with victims' families, and they will continue to advocate for transparency and accountability as decisions about the memorials are made. The city says items such as cards, signs, and teddy bears will be moved to Mountain View Cemetery or stored off-site, and fresh flowers will be relocated to 43rd and Fraser. It says items that are perishable and wilted are being gently removed and composted, while items that represent a safety risk, such as broken candleholders, will be disposed of safely. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on May 22, 2025.
Calgary Herald
27-04-2025
- Calgary Herald
'Bodies everywhere': At least 11 people killed, many injured after vehicle driven into crowd in Vancouver
Article content Police said in an update posted on X early Sunday morning: 'As of now, we can confirm nine people have died after a man drove through a crowd at last night's Lapu Lapu festival. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic incident.' Article content As of Sunday at 6 a.m, Fraser Street between 41st and 49th remained closed to allow room for the police investigation; TransLink buses continued to be rerouted to Main Street. Article content A 24-hour support centre was set up at Douglas Park Community Centre to help connect people with loved ones who were attending the festival. Article content Article content Videos posted to social media show the immediate aftermath, with bodies strewn across the road and being tended to by first responders and bystanders. Victims were rushed to several local hospitals, where staff were told to prepare for mass casualties. Article content Article content Yoseb Vardeh is the co-owner of the food truck Bao Buns, which had been stationed at the festival all day. Article content In a phone interview late Saturday, Vardeh spoke through tears to describe what had been 'an incredible day' that ended in shock and terror. Article content 'I didn't get to see the driver, all I heard was an engine rev. It didn't make any sense to me because there's still people here, like, it sounded like a car speeding. It didn't make any f—ing sense,' he said. Article content Article content Vardeh said the final performance had just ended and that many food trucks, including his, had stayed past the event's closing time to serve last-minute customers who were still enjoying the evening. Article content Article content It was then that the truck, according to Vardeh, came from the direction of nearby John Oliver Secondary School, drove past a number of market vendors, and sped up before driving down 43rd Avenue, which had been turned into a pedestrian-only area flanked on both sides by food trucks. Article content 'I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and there's just bodies everywhere,' said Vardeh, as his voice broke. 'He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle.' Article content Vardeh said he's unsure how the truck was stopped but said he saw a man being arrested and that police worked quickly to cordon off the area. Vardeh said the man was telling bystanders to stop filming him. Article content
