A memorial on the Saint John River in Fredericton has been officially illuminated as a tribute to those killed in a mass shooting eight years ago. A crowd gathered by the riverbank at dusk Monday evening to watch Guardian bring a blue glow to one of the former Carleton Street bridge piers. The memorial honours the four people, including two police officers, who were shot and killed on Aug. 10, 2018, at a northside apartment complex: Const. Sara Burns, Const. Robb Costello, Donald Adam Robichaud, and Bobbie Lee Wright. A Fredericton City Council meeting was held just before the memorial was illuminated, and was attended by several family members, police officers, and first responders. “I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart... on behalf of all the families, that were affected that day,” said Steven Burns, the widow of officer Sara Burns, during the council meeting. Local architect John Leroux volunteered on the project as an art consultant and said about a dozen police officers were involved in the memorial’s planning. “We wanted something that would be aspirational... looking at the positivity of people’s commitment who are on the police force, who protect us,” said Leroux. The memorial’s light will appear every night at sunset and glow throughout the evening and early morning hours before receding at dawn. Public viewing areas with granite benches have been set on both sides of the river. Leroux said the goal was for Guardian to be symbolic and central – within view of the downtown police station, on the third bridge pier closest to the north side, and visible from the trail loop on both sides of the river, including the Westmorland Street Bridge and Bill Thorpe Walking Bridge. “Being on the river, which is so much a centre to the soul, character, and attraction of Fredericton, we really wanted it to be there,” said Leroux. “We didn’t quite know what that meant, but there was an idea that some wanted it to be an existing structure on some capacity. The idea of giving renewed life to something that maybe was sort of seen as declining, that things never die if we remember them.” Guardian was installed earlier this summer, with lights and connections tested over the last few weeks. The frame has been designed to withstand river ice and spring freshets, with LED blue light fixtures powered through an underwater cable. Former Fredericton Police Force Chief Leanne Fitch, who served as chief in 2018, said she was proud of the collective effort that went into creating the memorial. “When I retired in 2019 we were starting to talk around the edges of doing something but with no path forward whatsoever,” said Fitch. “So, I’m just so proud of retired Chief (Martin) Gaudet for taking such a leadership role and making this happen for members of the community, the families, and for first responders in our capital city.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
