Bracebridge will soon have a permanent memorial to three local victims of domestic violence.
On Thursday, Mayor Smith and members of council will be at Annie Williams Park to unveil one of three purple benches installed in Bracebridge to honour and support victims of domestic violence.
In September of 2019, the Town was approached to help with the installation of park benches in memory of Natalie Novak. Novak was 20 years old when she was murdered in an act of domestic violence.
A fund in her honour was created and now part of that money will be used to build three park benches to honour Natalie, as well as two other women whose lives were taken in an act of domestic violence.
Lindsay Wilson was murdered in Bracebridge on April 5, 2013 at the age 26. Wendy Boland was also murdered in Bracebridge on May 26, 2017 at the age of 63.
The initiative is in collaboration with the Barb’s Benches Project and the Natalie Novak Fund for the Education & Prevention of Relationship Violence
The benches are part of a larger initiative called Barb’s Benches. The project was originally started in memory of Barbra Baillie, a woman murdered by her husband in 1990.
The idea of creating benches to commemorate the victims of domestic violence has now spread across the country.
Sharyn Mitchell says
I was pleased to see that one of the benches will honor Wendy Boland. Wendy was one of the nicest people I have ever met. We were friends for 39 years and she is missed by her family and friends and always will be.