Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman speaks to media during the Liberal Cabinet Retreat at the Fairmont Hotel in Winnipeg, Monday, Jan. 20, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mike Sudoma)
A temporary memorial is being set up at The Forks to remember the lives of Winnipeggers lost to COVID-19.
Mayor Brian Bowman announced Wednesday the memorial will be similar to the one erected last year, but include an additional 408 candles for a total of 1,058.
“This Friday marks the 2nd year since the global pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020,” said Mayor Bowman. “Candles will once again be lit in front of a dimmed Winnipeg sign from March 11-13 for each of the Winnipeggers lost to COVID-19.”
Sara Stasiuk, CEO of The Forks, says the memorial is an important reminder to look beyond the statistics and honour the human beings that have been lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We want to let our community know that while they may be gone, they are not forgotten,” she said.
The team at the Forks will assist with setting up the candles and the CN Stage sign will also be dimmed to coincide with the memorial.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 1,703 Manitobans had died from COVID-19.
