West Vancouver council voting on naming new fitness park after drowning victim
When he ran for mayor of West Vancouver last year, Mark Sager became close friends with city council candidate Keen Lau.
“One of the things that motivated him to be on council was to see fitness facilities improved,” said Sager, who was ultimately elected while Lau fell short.
As they bonded over a love of cycling and skiing, the two men continued discussing long-standing plans for an outdoor fitness park at Ambleside beach. “I know Keen loved this idea,” said Sager.
But Lau didn’t live to see it. The 45-year-old newlywed died on May 19th after jumping in Cypress Creek to try to save his dog Loki, who’d been swept away in the fast-moving current.
As the municipal government Lau wanted to become a part of moves forward with plans to replace an abandoned concrete building just steps from the beach with an outdoor fitness park, Sager had an idea.
“It just seemed perfect to call it “Keen Fitness.” It will radiate positive energy, and that seems a fitting tribute to a truly wonderful young man,” said Sager.
The project has significant corporate support and will get a boost from a GoFundMe campaign that’s raising money for a permanent memorial for Lau and Loki.
“I’m hoping as part of the plans we can have a little dog fountain. That seems appropriate,” said Sager.
On Monday, mayor and council will vote on a motion to name the new fitness park after Keen Lau. And they will hear from Loki’s dog walker Sandra Smith, who is advocating for changes to Cypress Creek.
“I don’t want this to happen again, and it can’t happen again,” she said of the tragedy that claimed the lives of both Lau and Loki.
Smith first called for barriers around the creek two years ago after a different dog was swept away and drowned.
“I asked at the time, what is it going to take for you to put up some safety measures in this area? Another dog to die or a child to die? And I never even thought of an adult dying,” Smith said.
She is urging the current mayor and council to take immediate steps to make the banks of Cypress Creek safer.
“The area is not blocked off in any way. There are some signs saying steep cliff, but there needs to be more warning signs. There needs to be chain links up in that area to prevent any dogs from going in,” said Smith, who added she’s willing to put up caution tape and signage herself if the city doesn’t act.
Mayor Sager said signage is an easy improvement to make. As for barriers, “I’m going leave that to people that know much more than I do about what’s the right thing to do. But we are certainly going to try and find something good to do.”
He’s also hoping to fast track construction on the fitness park named after his friend.
“I’m hoping this building comes down literally in the next two weeks,” said Sager, who believes Lau would be pleased. “He was completely supportive and he would love to be here today to see this becoming a reality."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Saskatchewan households will continue to receive carbon tax rebate: Trudeau
Households in Saskatchewan will continue to receive Canada Carbon Rebate payments, despite the province refusing to remit the federal carbon price on natural gas, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday.
'It's just so hard to let it go': Umar Zameer still haunted by death of Toronto police officer
'We hoped for this day, but we were scared that it would not never ever come because it took so long.' That’s what Umar Zameer, the man recently acquitted in the death of a Toronto police officer, told CTV News Toronto in a sit-down interview on Tuesday.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko won't play in Game 2
The Vancouver Canucks will be without all-star goalie Thatcher Demko when they face the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.
Pedestrian, baby injured after stroller struck and dragged by vehicle in Squamish, B.C.
Police say a baby and a pedestrian suffered non-life-threatening injuries after a vehicle struck a baby stroller and dragged it for two blocks before stopping in Squamish, B.C.