A space in Calgary’s South Glenmore Park is starting to take shape. It is in the process of being transformed into a one-of-a-kind memorial garden that will reflect the vibrancy of five young promising lives.
Zackariah Rathwell, Kaiti Perras, Josh Hunter, Jordan Segura and Lawrence Hong lost their lives on April 15, 2014. The five were murdered at a house party in the community of Brentwood. Their surviving families have joined together to create the Quinterra Legacy Garden as a symbolic representation of each one of them.
Kaiti’s mom, Shannon Miller, is grateful the tribute is close to be complete.
“I’m very proud of what we five families have been able to create,” Miller said. “But it’s sad that it even needs to be done. But I am happy,
“I’m very proud of the people our children were and what we were able to create because of them.”
Five trees are already planted near a spot where five memorial chairs will also be placed. A five-point star will be embedded in a performance stage, and elements of the garden will also feature subtle lighting to highlight parts of it. There will also be outdoor musical instruments.
“We had to think about our kids and how to honor them,” Miller said. “What each of them were to us — and that’s when we noticed the similarities weaving together — and that was healing.”
It’s been almost a year to the date when they first broke ground in the area. It’s been journey that started from an idea from a stranger who never knew the kids. Patricia Meilleur, a Calgarian touched by this tragedy, felt compelled to volunteer to help the families realize this vision.
“It was a dream and dreams sometimes come true,” Meilleur said. “It took time, effort and tears and smiles and I think it’s an extension of the children and who they were.”
The Parks Foundation of Calgary has partnered with the families to support the vision.
“It’s so exciting to be at this point, after working with families and taking years to get to this point, to have a dream be a reality is so special,” Parks Foundation CEO Sheila Taylor said.
Fundraising continues for the project which is expected to be complete this July.