Kamloops council looking to build a permanent memorial for Capt. Casey

The City of Kamloops will create a permanent memorial for the Snowbird who died in the crash of one of the Air Force jets in the city last month.

Snowbirds Public Affairs Officer Capt. Jenn Casey died in the Snowbirds plane crash in Brocklehurst May 17. 

Many residents paid tribute to Casey, notably in a temporary memorial set up along the fence at Kamloops Airport.

Now that the memorial has been removed, nothing remains to permanently commemorate Casey.

Council will vote next week on a plan to work with Casey's family and the Canadian Air Force to build a permanent memorial in her honour in Observation Park, at the end of runway 09-27, according to a June 16 agenda.

"There have been many requests from residents of Kamloops, in general, and Brocklehurst, in particular, to establish a memorial," mayor Ken Christian said in the memo. "When I met with the Minister of National Defence and the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force, they appreciated the outpouring of support they received from Kamloops and would welcome a permanent remembrance to replace the organic and spontaneous memorial."

It is unclear what the memorial will look like at this time, and council will be exploring options.

Some residents have been pushing to change the name of Airport Road to Capt. J. Casey Memorial Way.

The petition has 45,357 signatures so far, and the numbers are still climbing.

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