The City of Saskatoon will set up a memorial outside city hall to honour victims of impaired drivers.
The memorial was brought forward by Lou Van de Vorst whose son, daughter-in-law and two young grandchildren were killed by a drunk driver.
Van de Vorst brought the proposal to a city committee Monday morning asking for the memorial to be set up outside city hall, on the corner of 24th Street and 4th Avenue.
“The general public could walk by and say, 'Oh look at all the names of all the victims on this memorial,’” Van de Vorst said. “And just a teaching tool to say, 'Maybe it would be a good idea to think before you drink.’”
Mayor Charlie Clark and every member of the city committee voted in favour of the request. Clark said Saskatoon will be the first city in Canada to have a memorial set up in a public place.
“Way too many families are affected by drunk driving in our province,” Clark said. “So if you just have the memorial in a cemetery, then it does not serve as a public awareness and reminder.”
The memorial is set to include a plaque with a list of people who have been killed by impaired driving in the province. A bench will also be included so people can sit and reflect.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada approved the memorial and will fund the memorial.
MADD Canada and the city are in the works of designing the memorial.
Van de Vorst anticipates the memorial will be installed by the fall.
