The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation:

Design Chosen to Honour Offshore Helicopter Accident Victims

Mr. Speaker, there are tragic events in the history of our province that not only profoundly affected the lives of those involved, but all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The crash of Cougar 491 on March 12, 2009 and the 1985 Universal helicopter crash on March 13, 1985 are two such events.

As a government, it is important that we develop a memorial that remembers and honours the individuals whose lives were lost in these helicopter tragedies. To that end, a committee of family members, government representatives and labour and industry stakeholders was established with an aim of developing a memorial that represented the families’ vision for honouring their loved ones. They wanted a monument that would keep the victims’ memories alive and make it a place where visitors could reflect and learn more about the events.

Mr. Speaker, there was a delicate balance between commemoration and compassion that had to be achieved. The committee carefully reviewed the submissions and chose the one they felt best achieved this balance. The proposal put forward by Luben Boykov and Frederick Hann was selected, and I was pleased to present the design to the families last week. The City of St. John’s partnered with us and donated the land for the site at Quidi Vidi Lake.

The memorial design is a circular space with a spiraling stainless steel sculpture at its centre, representative of the aerial screw prototype of the first helicopter envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 15th century. The sculpture is made of stainless steel, a material used widely in aviation and the oil and gas industry. Along the spiral of the aerial screw, the names of the 23 victims of both helicopter tragedies are cut into the stainless steel. A second prominent element in the design is light, representing hope, faith, remembrance, healing and care. This light will be visible at night anywhere around Quidi Vidi Lake, and will shine through the open cutwork of the names. A series of five permanently illuminated lights on the ground will help lead visitors along a path into the main circular space for contemplation and reflection.

Mr. Speaker, it is our sincere hope that the memorial will not only be a lasting reminder of the victims of these helicopter tragedies, but also a place that speaks to the impact they had on the lives of all who knew them. We feel this memorial will be a site worthy of that remembrance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2013 11 04                                     1:50 p.m.