Community Vigil in Response to Tragedy

Lynn Valley Lions Club (MD19-A North Vancouver BC)

Timeline of Events. 

There were many factors to take into consideration  as we began planning the Vigil and we worked with community partners. Here are the steps we took. 

Sunday, March 28th – Morning after tragedy

• • Initial  contact with the District of North Vancouver (DNV)
  • We worked to develop a Vigil Concept
  • We spoke to the DNV Fire inspector at length for approval of the concept
  • We shared the vigil concept with other DNV staff, the Lynn Valley Legion and our community partners
  • We had to take into consideration, the ongoing Covid pandemic and the current health orders

Monday March 29th

• • Morning meeting with the  District of North Vancouver (DNV)
  • Lions begin discussion and detailed Map for Coastal health review and DNV discussion
  • Approval of Concept by both District of North Vancouver and Vancouver Coastal Health
  • Local health authorities and the district had determined that a Drive-Thru Vigil was possible.  
  • Detailed production concept was created
  • Generated communication contacts for production and authorities

Tuesday March 30th

• • Official approval from DNV and Coastal Health based on initial plans
  • On site meetings with DNV staff heads of Parks, Traffic Communication, Construction Management, Film and Media, and Engineering. 
  • There were many considerations we discussed including the location of the vigil, the entrance and exit points and traffic considerations for those attending as well as communicating the entire Drive-thru concept to the   residents of the community.
  • We reviewed and refined the plan
  • While planning out all the details, we started creating a poster for the vigil and created an online plan to communicate the vigil details 
  • In addition to the poster creation, we were planning the vigil details and creating an online system for collecting donations for the victims
  • Once the poster was approved, we had to draft a letter to the local residents explaining the event and how they may be affected by traffic

Wednesday March 31st

• • Notification to all residents along the vigil route and adjacent to the park once the letter was approved
  • We also  shared this letter online and through our parnters
  • Purchase and distribute water proof paper to all local schools to produce art for the event
  • Communicated with the schools that all art was required back to the organizing committee by 3pm Thursday due to the Friday Easter Holiday.
  • Hire electrical production staff for lighting
  • Pull temporary production lighting, permit DNV requirements
  • Purchase event insurance in accordance with DNV requirements
  • Pull open flame in Parks exemption permit along with a fire safety plan
  • Produce a safety plan for first responder access during event and vehicle breakdown management plan.
  • Print order face masks posters T shirts Stickers
  • Social media Blast and website updates

Thursday April 1st

• Lions begin pre load of all required assets: Tents, PPE Signage,
• Pick up and distribute  shirts and  face masks for participants
• Posters and stickers distributed throughout community and online
• Legion to pick up finished art from schools
• Arranging for musicians to be on site playing music

Friday. April 2nd

• Art from schools sorted and strung on string
• Continue with lions assets load up including: traffic cones, event chairs,  candles both legion and lions all production equipment
• Pick up 30 Radios for onsite communication
• Continue with vigil volunteer registration corporate and partners only.
• 24hr pre vigil Covid mobile
• Check in for all participants
• All event Insurance permits and documentation compiled and ready 
• Updates on social media and website

• Saturday April 3rd 
• Covid check-in of all participants including musicians
• All assets on site in park for 10 am set up
• Parking lots closed for vigil set up
• Set up of 4 tents followed by 80 chairs and 2000 candles
• Water ready for evening distribution
• Arrangement and distribution of 300 traffic cones, hundred of lights, kilometers of lighting cable, 1 large production generator , 6 portable generator, all signage , all art 
• Musicians coordinated and setup
• Mobile office setup
• 2 check in points for vigil staff set up
• Social media posts, website updates
• Gates opened
• Vigil started
• The community support and participation was beyond our expectations.
• The vigil had a feeling of healing, hope, solidarity and love
• Everyone was respectful, patient and kind in participating and honoring the victims of this tragic event 

Vigil Planning

Our team worked hard and within a very tight deadline to organize the following key components: 

• • Organize volunteers for the event and ensure all Covid protocols were followed for the volunteers
  • Arrange sponsorship, tents and in-kind donations
  • Coordinate with schools to pick up artwork prepared by the students to display at the vigil
  • Arrange all logistics including supplies, equipment, power, candles
  • Organize screens to display messaging 
  • Set up the entire event which included decor, music, lights
  • Work as team to keep everyone coordinated
  • Answer and coordinate media requests
  • Share vigil updates via social media platforms and our website

Everyone from the volunteers to our partners, our members and even the public worked hard to ensure this vigil honored the victims and their families.

The days leading up to the event were consumed with planning all the details and making sure we executed the vigil with respect and precision. 

• The vigil was held on Saturday , April 3rd and it was all hands on deck as we setup for the vigil. Everyone worked together and in the end we had a huge community turnout. Our community needed this vigil of healing. The love and solidarity we felt as a community was beautiful and an evening we will all remember.

Hope. Strength. Love. Community. 

Let love prevail. Thank you to all who came this evening what a special experience this has been.

#LynnValleyStrong

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Dear Fellow Residents,

In response to the terrible events in the Village on March 27, the Lynn Valley Lions Club has worked with our community partners to honour the victims and show our strength and support for each other.

On Saturday, April 3, we will be hosting a drive-thru candlelight vigil at Lynn Canyon Park from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.

We have worked with Vancouver Coastal Health to ensure our plan is compliant with current COVID 19 provincial health orders. As such, a secure and controllable site was required to facilitate a public drive-thru where participants remain socially distanced by remaining in their vehicles at all times. The District of North Vancouver is providing logistical support for this event.

Event Details

• • Lynn Canyon Park lower parking lot will be closed Saturday, April 3, to allow for set-up.
  • The park will also be closed at 7pm to all public access to meet COVID protocols.
  • Access to the park will be closed to all foot traffic from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
  • Vehicle entry will ONLY be via the Ross Road service entrance. This will be the only access into the park with the exception of emergency service vehicles.
  • All vehicles will be EXITING the park via Peters Road.
  • DNV traffic management and traffic control personnel will be at key intersections to assist the public.

This community response was designed within COVID 19 compliance first and foremost. More importantly, it was designed to allow our community to express solidarity and strength within the beautiful park we all cherish. For the drive-thru event, there will be three areas with acoustic music and a light and art display created by hundreds of children from our Lynn Valley community that participants can view safely from the comfort of their vehicle.

I would ask for your understanding on the short notice and any interruptions this may briefly cause. Please contact me via email with any questions or concerns to [email protected]. I thank you in advance on behalf of the team.

Sincerely, 

Eric Miura

President 

Lynn Valley Lions Club

Donations to the Victims:

We are raising funds that will go directly to the victims of this incident. These funds are for support and for any medical services that may be needed.

We are accepting:

• • Online donations  – via our secure  Square Online Shop
  • Bank Donations – via Blueshore Financial to the Lynn Valley Lions Club Emergency Fund

We appreciate your support.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY:
COMPLEX

CHALLENGES:

• Volunteers- this event needed more Lions than in the past as our local high school team couldn’t join us on the lot
• New health guidelines and municipal approvals
• Managing deliveries and volunteers
• The size of the lot was so large that radios were needed!
• Managing the online  store and Eventbrite

SINGLE or CONTINUOUS: 
Continuous- runs minimum of 9 days straight

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact ​​Eric at Lynn Valley Lions Club 19A-2