It was with immense sorrow that I learned of the tragic death of my friend, Mark Taylor, who died while on a backcountry ski trip last week.

Mark and I became good friends during the years that I served on Abbotsford City Council. Indeed, it was he who inspired in me and many others a love for mountaineering. I had the pleasure of joining Mark on some of his climbs of Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams, He was always a stickler for safety, ensuring that participants in his adventures spent numerous evenings and weekends training and preparing for these challenging treks.

Mark leaves behind a legacy of excellence, having touched Abbotsford in a way that will benefit the people of our community for generations to come. As general manager of parks, recreation and culture, he was instrumental in establishing much of the recreational infrastructure we enjoy throughout our city today. His commitment went beyond simply the projects he spearheaded, and included countless hours of volunteer support to various charitable organizations. His contributions to Abbotsford will be dearly missed, but forever remembered.

My thoughts are with Mark’s wife, Debbie, his children Lindsay and Kyle, his colleagues at Parks, Recreation & Culture, and others whose lives have been indelibly marked by Mark’s life. He will be deeply missed.

The Hon. Ed Fast, MP (Abbotsford)
Minister of International Trade &
Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway

The Cities website tribute is republished below:

Remembering Mark Taylor, GM Parks, Recreation & Culture

Mark Taylor provided excellent and dynamic leadership and passion in his role as General Manager of Parks, Recreation and Culture for the City of Abbotsford for the past 12 years. His contributions to the community of Abbotsford are many including helping to establish such legacy features as Mill Lake Spray Park, the Discovery Trail, the Reach Gallery & Museum, as well as the new and extremely popular Abbotsford Recreation Centre.

His loss will be greatly felt across our community. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mark’s family in this difficult time.

People wishing to send words of support to Mark Taylor’s family during this difficult time can do so through City Hall via email at communications-info@abbotsford.ca. Cards can be dropped at the Reception desk on the Main Floor of City Hall, 32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford, BC.

The family has indicated that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to “Visitor Safety Programs”.

Cheques should be made payable to The Receiver General care of Visitor Safety Program;

Attention:
Marc Ledwidge
Banff Warden Office
220 Hawk Avenue,
Box 900, Banff, AB
T1L 1K2

Donations will be applied to a fund which provides support for the training of Search and Rescue Technicians. A note should be sent with the purpose of the cheque (eg. For Visitor Safety fund to train and certify workers through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides courses). Please note: This is not a registered charity.

They are the victims of violent crime. Often, they are the parents, siblings, or best friends of a murder victim or of somebody who was killed in a tragic but preventable incident.

And after the headlines and sound bites they are left alone in their grief; expected to heal, forgive, and repair broken hearts. And this is where community agencies and volunteers that address the impacts of crime come in.
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On Friday, April 27, the University of the Fraser Valley and the John Howard Society of the Fraser Valley are hosting a forum where family members of two murdered women speak about their lives before and after the tragedies that forever changed them.

“How do we heal from a traumatic event? What could be more traumatic than the murder of a loved one?” queries Maggie Aronoff, executive director of the John Howard Society of the Fraser Valley. “On this night, our community will have the opportunity to hear two stories of healing. One family lost their daughter. Another lost his mom.”

Heather and Dan Basham will share the story of their daughter’s murder in May of 2001. It was a double tragedy for the couple, however, as Tracy was murdered by her brother.

“This horrific event has given my wife Heather and I a unique perspective into the criminal justice system,” explains Dan. “Right from the arrest and trial through to the federal correctional system.”

The second speaker at the forum will be Christopher Ducharme, who will tell the story of his mother’s homicide.

“My first significant personal victimization experience occurred when I was only 14 years old when my mother was murdered by her boyfriend,” Ducharme says.

Aronoff says the people left behind after a terrible crime must have voices in Canada’s criminal justice system. And they need to be heard by society.

“Crime is defined by the harm, and the court focuses on the offense,” she explains. “In the process, sometimes we fail to meet the needs of the victim to be whole and well again.”

The fact that Ducharme and the Bashams are willing to speak openly about their tragic history speaks volumes about the healing that can be done, she adds.

“Find out how these people found resiliency and hope. If they can find a way back from this place, so can any of us. How they got there may surprise us. “

Friday’s forum will address how people can survive the devastating loss of a loved one or heal after being the victim of a violent crime, what types of services survivors need, and how the community can contribute.

“Our criminal justice system is unbalanced,” adds Aronoff. “In the media we hear about the crime and the criminal. The victim is static in the event. While prison protects the community and may even try to rehabilitate the offender, the victim is left behind and too often alone. If we are to improve this system, we must create a more balanced equation that allows all of us to heal from the harm that crime creates in our towns, neighbourhoods, and families.”

The forum is presented as part of National Victims of Crime Awareness Week, and is part of an initiative that helps to raise awareness of the role victims have in the criminal justice system.

Aronoff says other goals of the week are to help the community move forward to support victims and families impacted by crime, and to inform the public and service providers about alternatives that can improve the criminal justice system and how we treat the victim.

The forum is a free event and will be held on the Abbotsford campus in the lecture theatre, room B101. It begins at 6pm.

“It’s up to us to gather and help meet the needs of victims so they can recover from the wrong done by someone else. Each person has their own needs. Learn how we can uncover these needs and assist people on their healing journey. Those needs can surprise us but the journey is guaranteed to inspire us and help us come together to make a difference — one person at a time.”

For more details about the forum, contact the John Howard Society of the Fraser Valley at 604-852-1226.

Parent then returned in his F350 returned crashing into O’Brien.

According to 24, parent was convicted on Thursday for criminal negligence causing death, dangerous driving and failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Anger, spite, impatience … whatever the emotions were that raged through Parent that horrible evening they had no place in his driving of the three-ton pile of metal and plastic he used to kill the driver he was apparently angry at.

Like drunk drivers, drivers who exhibit road rage and use their vehicles to threaten, intimidate or in any way influence other drivers, should have their licences removed for life.

If someone is unable to understand that they are driving a loaded weapon when they drive drunk or engage in road road they have no place on the road.

Parent now faces a maximum of life in prison for his temper. O’Brien and his friends and family began serving their sentences that horrible night on a rural Langley road.

Silas O'Brien

Silas O’Brien

Facebook

The memorial service will be held on Thursday the 16th of June at 11:00am at Northview Community Church, 32040 Downes Road. Any current and past W.J. Mouat football players are asked to wear their football jackets and or the team colours.

The Smeysters family plans to start a memorial bursary in Opa’s honour, so we would like you his friends to donate money to this bursary instead of sending flowers or other items.

We appreciate all the condolences in this very hard time for the Smeysters Family.”.

In Memory Of

By Caryn Zimmerman

Anyone in the football world knows how invaluable this amazing man has been throughout the years and any W.J. Mouat student will tell you that he has had a profound impact on their lives, my own two children included. He truly has been my 2nd favourite man for 20 years.

OPA John Smeysters in his golf cart

OPA ‘retired’ from his real job and became a key member of W.J. Mouat’s parent ambassador team as lunch hour supervisor, Hawks equipment manager, role model, dance chaperone, field trip chaperone, you name it – and OPA was there to take on the challenge.

On Friday, June 10th just before 6:30 am, OPA quietly slipped away and has now become another bright star in our sky. He will probably shake a few boots now that he has joined the big guy up above.

This is a man who is loved unconditionally by this community and asked for nothing more than honesty and respect, which he received from everyone who knows him, and he has been an integral part of the W.J. Mouat Hawks football club as well as a special part of the school among staff, students and parents.

I was introduced to this amazing man in the fall of 1994 when my son began kindergarten with OPA’s grandson Jonathan ‘Bruiser’ Smeysters at John Maclure Elementary School. Our boys were good pals in their younger days and if Jonathan’s dad wasn’t picking him up from school, OPA was there and always took time to chat with the kids and parents alike.

He became my 2nd favourite man right away and my admiration, respect and love for him grew over the years as my children and his grandchildren grew older and moved on to W.J. Mouat Secondary School. I became involved with the school PAC executive, a role I kept at John Maclure, Colleen & Gordie Howe and W.J. Mouat until both of my own children finished school in 2007.

OPA was there as an honourary parent ambassador and attended every PAC meeting and every school function, nothing kept this man away.

We have been very fortunate all these years to have shared OPA with his own family and they have allowed us to to be a special part of his life, for this we are all truly thankful and very blessed. OPA’s passing is a great loss to each and every one of us.

Raminder Thind

Raminder was son-in-law of famous Punjabi and Urdu poet Gill Mansoor (Gurcharan Singh Gill) and father of OMNI TV host Tarannum Thind.

Raminder’s funeral will be held on Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 12:30pm at Five Rivers Funeral Home (River Road & Hopcot Road) in Delta. The prayer will be held on same day at 2pm at Gurdwara Singh Sabha 8115-132 Street Surrey.

Followed by a prayer service at Gurdwara Nanak Niwas located at 8600 No.5 Road Richmond.

Please see the information below information about Avtar Gosal’s work in our community and he was Building Committee Chair for Sikh Temple on Marine Drive & Ross Street in Vancouver.

Avtar Singh Gosal

Avtar Gosal

BUSINESS

Mr. Avtar Gosal studied engineering before immigrating to Canada from Punjab, India in 1964. He worked for various engineering firms in the Vancouver area before staring his own contracting company Gosal Bros. Contracting Ltd. in 1969. Gosal construction Ltd. has become a successful operating company, specializing in land development i.e. road building, sewer, water, electric, telephone lines, and buildings, creating jobs and contributing to the Canadian economy.

HONOURS

2005

British Columbia Community Achievement Award, British Columbia Achievement Foundation

2004

International Punjabi Society Goodwill Ambassador Award

2003

Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, Governor-General’s Office

2002

Certificate of Appreciation, Khalsa Diwan Society, Vancouver B.C.

1997

Distinguished Service Award, International Punjabi Society

1997

Special Service Award as Past President, Khalsa Diwan Society, Vancouver, B.C.

1993

Outstanding Punjabi and Community Service Award, International Punjabi Society Conference, New Dehli

1992

Citation for Citizenship Award, Government of Canada

1992

Canada 125 Governor- General Medal, Government of Canada

1992

Paul Harris Award, Rotary Club International

1991

Service Award, International Punjabi Society, New York

* In recognition of dedicated service towards the preservation of Punjabi Cultural and heritage

1988

Lifetime Achievement Award, National Indo-Canadian Council

1989

Pioneer Award, India Cultural Centre of Canada

MEMBERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP

Mr Gosal Receives His BC Community Achievement Award. Avtar Gosal is an exemplary British Columbian who has worked to create a harmonious role for the Indo-Canadian community. He was an integral part in the establishment of the Immigrant Services Centre in Vancouver; he has helped new immigrants meet language and cultural challenges; he effectively represents the Indo-Canadian community at conferences and boards at the city and provincial levels. An active fundraiser, Avtar has also assisted with eye research, cancer programs, and with the Children's Hospital Indo-Canadian fundraising committee

Federally appointed South Asian Committee of Ten;

Community Response to South Asian Youth Violence

1985 to Present

India Cultural Centre of Canada

Vice President 2009

President 2006-2008

Vice President 2003-2005

Secretary 1996-1999

Past President and Director 1993-1996

President 1991-1993

Founding Member and Trustee 1985

§ A group setup to create the first multi-purpose Indo-Canadian community in B.C. This center will provide much needed facilities for Indo-Canadians both young and old, language training, and services for newcomers to facilitate their integration into Canadian society. During Mr. Gosal’s term as President the first phase of construction began to build a temple along with a library as well as a seniors recreation center. The project was completed in 1993 at a cost of 3.5 million dollars under Mr. Gosal’s leadership. This project will benefit both the Indo-Canadian community and the rest of Canadian society.

1994 to 2004

City of Vancouver Special Advisory Committee on Cultural Communities

Member

§ A major objective of this committee is working towards cultural harmony in the City of Vancouver. Mr. Gosal has served on various subcommittees including the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination celebration, the cultural Harmony Award, and the Decorative Lighting Committee.

1988- Present

National Indo- Canadian Council

President, Greater Vancouver Chapter 2002-Present

Vice President 1995-1997

Founding Member 1988

§ A national umbrella organization dedicated to promoting a better image and understanding of the Indo-Canadian community, with chapters right across Canada.

1974- Present

International Punjabi Society

Founding Member

Secretary

§ This society assists newcomers in adjusting to Canadian Life by holding cultural, family and youth functions as well as promoting the Punjabi language and customs through student exchange programs throughout the world.

1964-1976

Khalsa Diwan Society (oldest Indo-Canadian organization in Canada)

President 1976

§ As president, he made the election process more efficient by establishing the secret ballot by making major changes to the constitution. In 1976, as chairman of the social worker’s committee, he assisted newcomers and senior citizens to adjust to Canadian Society.

Vice President 1973

Treasurer 1964-1965

1975

Oasis

Director

§ Mr. Gosal was a driving force in the establishment of an immigrant services centre in Vancouver, under the name of Oasis, to accommodate the growing flow of immigrants from India. A major objective of Oasis has been to assist the mainstream society in understanding and respecting the diversity of immigrant cultures in Canada.

1972- 1973

East Indian Canadian Citizens Welfare Association

Secretary

§ He presented briefs to the immigration department, and organized delegations to Victoria, one of which dealt with Indo-Canadian concerns about racism.

1965- 1970

Khalsa Diwan Society, Ross Street Temple Project

Secretary

§ Objective was to build a new Sikh Temple to accommodate the growing Indo-Canadian population.

FUNDRAISING AND HUMANITARIAN WORK

The participation of the Indo-Canadian community in these fundraisers has resulted in their playing a larger part in the Canadian society, and fulfilling their obligations as citizens.

2005 to present

1992- 1993

India Village Improvement Project, Punjab State

§ Rural Village improvement through infrastructure, water supply, sanitation and educational facilities.

Vision 20/ 21 Eyecare Board

Director, Fundraising – Eye Research

1988- 1989

British Columbia’s Children’s Hospital

Member of Indo-Canadian Fundraising Committee

1988

Rotary Club’s International Polio

Member plus campaign committee

§ Mr. Gosal played a major role on behalf of the Indo-Canadian community in raising approximately $70,000.00.

1986- 1987

Indo-Canadian Cancer Fundraising Committee

Director

§ The major objective of this committee was to create an awareness and establish an educational program for Indo-Canadian women in various languages of origin.