Memorial design unveiled in Kamloops, B.C., for fallen Snowbird Capt. Jennifer Casey
The design for a new memorial in Kamloops, B.C., has been released, nearly four years after a deadly Canadian Forces Snowbird plane crash.
The public art installation will be next to Kamloops Airport at Fulton Field Park, the Interior city announced this week. The sculpture will be the same size as the Royal Canadian Air Force Tutor aircraft that Capt. Jennifer Casey was riding in when it crashed on May 17, 2020.
An investigation into the crash revealed a small bird flew into the engine of the aircraft shortly after takeoff. The pilot gave the order to eject, but the plane was at too low of an altitude for Casey to safely deploy her parachute.
Casey died and the pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall, was seriously injured. The pair had been part of a tour called Operation Inspiration, which aimed to raise spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We wanted her memorial to help carry on her encouraging mission," said local artist and May She Soar monument creator, Sarah Holliday, in a statement.
"The maple leaves are meant to be a mosaic of our collective grief at the loss of Jennifer Casey, while the branches represent Canadians joining together to lift up the memory of a hero."
Holliday explained the three support pillars of the monument symbolize the communities that rallied together during the tragedy: Kamloops, Casey's hometown of Halifax and the Canadian Armed Forces.
"The installation features clean-cut lines, angles, and a modern look, making it consistent with the formal lines of the future Fulton Park design," Holliday said in the statement. "The shape and sideways lean of the plane resemble a Snowbird high in the sky performing aeronautical maneuvers, which is meant to celebrate the relationship and history between the Kamloops Airport and the Royal Canadian Air Force."
Fulton Park is under construction and is expected to be completed later this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.