Around thirty people attended the unveiling on Saturday of a monument in memory of Zachary Laferté-Landry, an 18-year-old pedestrian struck by a Société de transport de Montréal (STM) bus on October 8.
Posted at 3:57 p.m.
The pair of white espadrilles is intended to be “a symbol to encourage reflection on the danger of motorized vehicles towards vulnerable street users,” underlined Shanti Larochelle, co-spokesperson for Souliers et bikes phantoms, the organization which designed and installed the memorial.
In front of the bereaved relatives of Zachary Laferté-Landry, the co-spokesperson painted the portrait of the young man, a great hockey fan with an “almost encyclopedic memory”, very close to his mother and his sisters.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
A candle was placed in front of the monument in memory of Zachary Laferté-Landry.
Zachary was a discreet, caring, empathetic young man, in the words of his family.
Shanti Larochelle, co-spokesperson for Ghost Shoes and Bikes
The young man had moved from the Magdalen Islands to Montreal two months earlier, and he was just getting used to his new city, according to his uncle Steve, who took the microphone briefly at the end of the ceremony. “He was a good guy,” he said, choking back a sob. “Please, something has to be done to make this stop.” It’s not normal that there are so many accidents like that. »
On October 8, around 4:30 p.m., Zachary Laferté-Landry was crossing Saint-Denis Street near Rigaud Street when an STM bus hit him in the middle of a turn. The young man died instantly.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
Relatives attended the ceremony.
“Simple and effective measures can be put in place quickly to secure the intersection of Rigaud and Saint-Denis,” said Sophie Lavoie, co-spokesperson for Souliers et Vélos Phantoms, in particular by proposing the widening of sidewalks, the installation of traffic lights exclusive to pedestrians and the removal of automobile lanes on this busy stretch.
It’s the 30the memorial monument installed by Souliers et bikes phantoms, which designs installations at the request of the families of people mowed down by motorized vehicles.
Slow culture change
Several local elected officials attended the ceremony with emotion. Luc Rabouin, mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, was present with his 17-year-old daughter. “I completely share the sadness of Zachary’s parents,” he commented.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal district, Luc Rabouin
“We must continue to put in place measures that strengthen safety on the streets, even if we are sometimes criticized for that,” added the elected official.
“We don’t let ourselves be stopped by the resistance we encounter,” said Marianne Giguère, city councilor associated with active transportation, towards the end of the ceremony. “It is not true that we will continue to attend memorials 20 times a year as if it were inevitable. »
Friday afternoon, another pedestrian was struck down by a vehicle in Montreal. The 44-year-old woman was crossing Crémazie Boulevard, in the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension district, when a van hit her.
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