A memorial bench was unveiled at the Chutes Coulonge Park on Saturday (November 6) in honour of a young couple who passed away in March 2020.

Jacynthe Bélair wanted a way to remember her friends Todd “TJ” Vibert Jr., 23, of Campbell’s Bay and his fiancée Karine Marion, 22, of Fort Coulonge, who died in a car accident on March 8, 2020. She said that due to public health restrictions, not many people were able to attend their funeral, and now that things have relaxed, it was a good time to remember them with family and friends. The couple had been together for 10 years and had gotten engaged in December 2019.

Though around 50 had said they were going on social media, the turnout was much larger. Bélair said that she wanted a way to publicly express her love for the couple, and after consulting a coworker they settled on a memorial bench at the Chutes, where both Vibert and Marion worked. She said that the park was one of their favourite places, so the location was ideal.

Bélair started a GoFundMe for the memorial in May of this year and it quickly surpassed her goal of $1,500. All excess funds were donated to the Chutes Coulonge Park.

The bench, created by local chainsaw carver Kyle Bertrand, features a bear and an owl on the ends, as well as the pair’s names in the centre within a heart. Bélair said that the couple loved the outdoors and Marion was particularly fond of owls.

The full interview with Bélair is available below.