A sketch of the proposed Fulton Field Park by Kamloops Airport. (Photo via Victor Kaisar)
The President of the Kamloops Airport Authority Society says a permanent memorial to the late Snowbirds Capt. Jenn Casey at the future Fulton Field Park should be complete by this fall.
Aside from a rudimentary sketch of the park by Kamloops Airport, the City hasn’t released many details about what the memorial will look like.
“It will be a space where families all like to go see planes take off but we want to give them a place that gives them a chance to do that but also reflects on somebody’s life that got lost in Kamloops trying to get us back to a better place in our world,” Bill Sarai said, on the NL Morning News.
“It’s coming. We just want to do it right, and we want the family and the Canadian Armed Forces to be involved.”
Construction on the Fulton Field Park is scheduled to take place this year, in conjunction with the Tranquille Gateway Improvements Project that is currently underway. Work on the entire project is scheduled to be complete by this fall.
“We don’t want to rush it, and if we don’t get a reply back right away, it’s not one of those things I can see staff pressing it,” Sarai said. “Even though its been three years, we still have to show some sensitivity and respect to the family and the Armed Forces in general.”
Former Mayor Ken Christian said the Memorial will be how the City of Kamloops officially remembers the tragic crash on May 17, 2020. Capt. Casey was killed when her Snowbirds Tutor jet crashed into a Brock neighbourhood moments after takeoff. The pilot, Capt. Richard MacDougall was injured.
An investigation later concluded that Snowbird 11 lost power after a small bird was sucked into the engine shortly after take-off from Kamloops Airport.
“It put us on the map for all the wrong reasons and we came through it,” Sarai said.
“We showed what Kamloops is about. We showed heart. We showed determination. We want to work with the family and the Armed Forces in general to see whatever we are proposing meetings their needs and wants and sensitivity.”
