VANCOUVER β The chair of the group that organized a festival in Vancouver where 11 people were killed said talks are underway to set up a permanent memorial near the site of the tragedy.
RJ Aquino with Filipino BC said he has seen strangers leave as friends after bonding over grief at the memorial site along the fence of a Vancouver high school where thousands of flowers, candles and notes of condolence have been placed.
He said there's a need for a permanent memorial and preliminary talks are underway with the city and the school board to find an appropriate location.
It needs to be done "respectfully and thoughtfully," Aquino said.
"A lot of people feel deeply impacted by the event, even though they may not have even been in the area at the time," he said.
"People will continue to grieve and mourn in the weeks and months to come, and this memorial, again, really signifies how it's such a significant part of that healing process."
Aquino said there are no plans for now to remove the temporary memorial that has been growing daily since a man rammed an SUV through the crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival on April 26.
Vancouver school board trustee Preeti Faridikot said she will be proposing a motion next month at a board meeting for the permanent memorial next to the school.
Faridikot said she doesn't want to rush the motion, since many victims' families are still mourning their loss, and she wants to proceed with "care, dignity, and cultural sensitivity."
Faridikot said the memorial won't be set up on the school grounds.
"We have to be very respectful and careful," she said. "It's going to be in collaboration with the Filipino community, the affected families, the city, the province, and the school board, everybody together."
Fundraising efforts from different organizations are growing, including a collaboration between the United Way BC and Filipino BC to support those affected by the tragedy.
Aquino said he has been visiting victims at the hospital, and the funds can help with needs such as replacing cellphones that were broken or lost during the attack or helping arrange for child care.
"We also want to make sure that this interruption in their life doesn't come at the cost of being unable to pay their bills, being unable to take care of themselves, being unable to take care of their family, and being unable to take care of their own home," said Aquino, "Those are the things that we want to directly address, too."
The donation campaign has been underway for a week.
Kristi Rintoul, director of community impact with United Way BC, said more than $450,000 has been raised, so far.
Rintoul said the money will support those affected by the traumatic events for months and years to come.
"We know that trauma shows up for people in different ways, so we're looking at mental-health and counseling supports for the long term, so that people know that they can access these resources throughout the future months, or in the future as they may need," said Rintoul.
Archbishop J. Michael Miller said at last Fridayβs memorial mass for the victims of the tragedy that a second collection was to be made at all 77 parishes in the Vancouver archdiocese over the weekend.
β(As) a sign of our solidarity with those affected, our archdiocese of Vancouver has launched a special appeal to provide critical support for victims and their families. The funds collected will help meet their immediate needs and ensure that ongoing healing and outreach services are available in the weeks and even months ahead,β Miller said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May, 6, 2025.
Nono Shen, The Canadian Press
