The Reclaiming the Village event was held on April 9 at 11:30 a.m.
The tribute was organized by Julie Durnan, who runs Restoration Health Clinic located on the third floor of the village complex near the library.
“We had some witnesses run up in tears to our clinic,” said Durnan, referring to the tragic attack on March 27 where seven people were stabbed inside and outside the Lynn Valley library, located in the village complex. A 28-year-old Quebec man is facing second-degree murder charges in connection with the incident. “Our team was quite impacted. My team didn’t want to go to work the next week.”
While honouring the victims of the knife attack, as well as the impact it had on the families and the community at large, yesterday’s event was also meant to help the people who work at businesses in the Lynn Valley Village complex reclaim the space for themselves, infuse some joy back into the village, and send a message that they occupy a safe place to work.
“They requested this,’ said Durnan, “something to address the needs of the actual workers.”
The purpose was to bring everyone outside and for merchants and staff to have a united moment to remember the tragedy and remember their strengths, said Durnan, who provided some brief introductory remarks at the outset of the event to remind all the merchants that they were in this together.
Following the moment of silence, Lynn Valley resident and singer-songwriter Amanda Wood-Cook performed three songs for those gathered – Hallelujah, Rise Up and the national anthem.
Merchants and business owners were then invited to place flowers in the centre of the plaza, inside a large chalk-drawn heart.
“There was not a dry eye in the plaza,” said Durnan.
North Shore Emergency Management’s virtual Wellness & Resiliency Centre remains available to support people in the community impacted by the tragic event.
Call 1-888-686-3022 or email [email protected] to request a telephone support call. Callers are asked to explain they are someone who has been affected by the incident on the North Shore and provide a number where they can be reached.
Watch video of Amanda Wood-Cook perform below:
