Memorial for Kelowna crane collapse victims to be built this year

With the third anniversary of the fatal crane collapse just days away, plans for a memorial have finally fallen into place.

The City of Kelowna and Mission Group have committed to providing $150,000 to the RISE Memorial Foundation to ensure construction of the memorial can get underway this year. The collapse killed Cailen Vilness, Jared Zook, Eric Stemmer, Patrick Stemmer, and Brad Zawislak in downtown Kelowna on July 12, 2021, and an effort to build a memorial has stagnated in recent months.

“With rising labour and material costs, the city understands that the foundation recently announced a potential funding shortfall, which is delaying the start of construction,” Mayor Tom Dyas said.

“We are inspired by the community’s fundraising success over this last year, which raised over $160,000 towards the memorial’s construction. This contingency funding will ensure that the project can commence without delay.”

2:24 Fundraising campaign launched for victims of Kelowna crane collapse memorial

In addition to the funds raised by the community, the Rise Foundation has submitted several grant applications for the additional cost needed to cover the project costs. While these applications are being processed, the City and Mission Group have agreed to provide contingency funding to ensure that the memorial construction can begin as soon as possible.

The Rise Memorial Foundation, the non-profit society formed to oversee the memorial’s construction, has a board consisting of family members of the victims and key community partners.

The memorial itself will be constructed in Knowles Heritage Park to commemorate five lives lost, highlight the importance of worker safety, and represent a key anchor point in the downtown Kelowna landscape, giving everyone a space to learn, reflect, reminisce, and be at peace and truly present in the power of community.

“As it is right now, we have nowhere as families to go to mourn or just reflect…. We feel like it was important to have a place to remember our men who didn’t come home that day. It’s a tragedy.  It’s important to have a place to remember,” said Danielle Pritchett, whose son Cailen Vilness, died in the collapse earlier this year.

The city donated a piece of land that will eventually be home to the memorial and now Pritchett is looking to the community to help get things going.