Glenview Park could soon be renamed Darren Fitzpatrick Bravery Park in honour of Fitzpatrick and all Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
Cpl. Fitzpatrick, 21, died on March 20, 2010 after being mortally wounded by a roadside bomb two weeks early. The Prince George resident was serving with the third battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry near Kandahar.
Project proponent Ranjit Gill said the goal is first to rename the park, then work with community partners to renew it and provide "a quiet place for reflection." The park, located on Glenview Drive and Dagg Road in the Hart, was important to Fitzpatrick growing up.
"He went to daycare [near] there and played sports there," Gill said. "I believe it would be a simple renaming and getting a sign up, to start. The Hart Community Association has expressed an interest in renewing this park. Also we have the support of the [Royal Canadian] Legion."
The goal is to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony on July 13, to coincide with the Portraits of Honour mural tour arriving in Prince George.
The Portraits of Honour is a mobile mural depicting 156 Canadian soldiers who have died while serving in Afghanistan.
"The Portraits of Honour is coming to all communities that have lost a loved one," Gill said. While plans have not been finalized for the arrival of the mural, Gill said organizers are hoping to have the mural arrive at Darren Fitzpatrick Bravery Park for the ribbon cutting, before touring through the Prince George Civic Plaza.
"We'd like to line the streets and have 156 Canadian flags.... with a soldier's name on each flag."
City council approved, in principle, the renaming of the park at Monday night's meeting.
"I'd advance that the city work on this proposal with vigour and haste," Coun. Don Bassermann said.
