Vancouver, British Columbia - Iron Workers (IW) Local 97 in Vancouver plans to carry on the tradition of commemorating the Second Narrows Bridge, now known as the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge, collapse on June 17th despite the COVID-19 challenges. The span connecting East Vancouver and the North Shore of the bridge collapsed while under construction 62 years ago and 18 ironworkers out of 78 died that day. Lucien “Lou” Lessard, a 91-year old living in a retirement home, is the only surviving ironworker today.
“Never did I think that I would have to choose between honouring my fallen brothers and protecting my vulnerable neighbors,” Lou said with a heavy heart about this year’s memorial ceremony. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my brothers who passed, not a day goes by that I don’t cherish the gift of life.”
An intimate memorial ceremony, consisting of the IW local president, a reverend, and a piper leading the wreath procession, will take place on June 17th in place of the traditional large memorial event the local has organized in the previous years. It will be broadcasted via Facebook Live @joinlocal97 and Zoom. A video of the bridge collapse and survivors, including an interview with the last surviving ironworker Lou, will be posted on the Facebook live.
It is disheartening that the IW Local 97 and Lou will not be able to memorialize the 62nd anniversary of the bridge collapse tragedy as they have done in the past, but they are determined to honour those who died in the tragic collapse with a small and mainly virtual memorial ceremony this year. It will allow Lou to share memories and honour his fellow men who died in the tragic collapse.
“We have lost all but one surviving member of the bridge collapse in the recent years, so it’s important that we continue the memorial tradition and honour the memory of the lives lost in the tragic collapse,” said Paul Beacom, president, IW Local 97. “Our local is committed to preserving those memories and sharing them with the families of those ironworkers who are not with us anymore, despite the challenges COVID 19 present and the need to avoid social gatherings.”
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The Iron Workers (IW) represents 130,000 ironworkers in North America who work in construction on bridges; structural steel; ornamental, architectural, and miscellaneous metals; rebar; and in fabrication shops
Contact:
Sara Schuttloffel
Iron Workers
2023834885
SSchuttloffel@impact-net.org