Vaughan honours 2022 shooting victims with memorial at Julliard Park

Mayor Steven Del Duca issued the following statement after the unveiling of the Tree and Bench Memorial at Julliard Park for the Victims of the 2022 Condo Shooting yesterday, Thursday, July 6, with victims’ families, Members of Council, dignitaries and Faith Leaders:

“At the City of Vaughan, we remain committed to honouring and remembering the victims of the December 2022 mass shooting at the Bellaria Residences. We are a community where everyone knows each other, and this tragedy has deeply affected all of us. No words can describe our sorrow; we have been united in our grief.

“Together, with my Council colleagues, City staff and the families, we imagined an installation that would allow the memories of the victims to live on, not just in our hearts, but surrounded by a beautiful landscape within sight of the home they loved.

“Dedicated in loving memory to Rita Camilleri, Vittorio Panza, Naveed Dada, Helen “Lorraine” Manock and Russell Manock, as well as recognizing Doreen Di Nino, who survived the attack, this memorial will serve as a testament to their lasting impact on our community, and, with its trees and benches, will provide an opportunity for the public to visit and sit quietly in prayer and contemplation. The site will be lit year-round as a tribute that will never dim, just as our memories of them will not fade.

“As we continue to mourn a wound that will never fully heal, we are committed to working toward our community’s long-term recovery. We have met at Vaughan City Hall to discuss critical issues, which led to increased funding for victim’s services in Vaughan and York Region, and much more. I want to recognize the efforts of my Council colleagues, York Regional Police and Victim Services of York Region for all they’ve done to respond to and support the victims of this tragedy. In the face of unimaginable loss, we worked together and proved there is far more that unites us than divides us.

“Although this memorial will not lessen the grief of their absence, I hope it brings some comfort in time. There are simply no words that can adequately convey how heartbroken we remain. We will continue to rely on each other, and help one another because in Vaughan, that’s what we do.”