Parents of Brentwood murder victims plan to break ground on memorial garden May 1

A memorial park designed to honour the five students killed at a Brentwood house party in 2014 is now expected to open by the end of this summer in Glenmore Park, featuring spectacular views of the reservoir and the city skyline, a performance stage and life-sized instruments.

The families of the victims have worked for just over a year to bring the project to life, fundraising $384,000 to date, and planning for an attractive, interactive outdoor space that will emphasize music and the arts.

"The park is going to be the first of its kind in Alberta, unique, an interactive musical instrument-lined walkway and performance space," said Gregg Perras, father of Kaitlin Perras, on the Calgary Eyeopener.

"It's going to be highlighted by 16 large, adult size, percussion instruments along a pathway, with a 30-foot concrete stage in the middle for performance arts, theatre, et cetera. So it's really focused on arts-related opportunities, but also nature, yoga, gratitude circles, drum circles — anything you can think, can happen in that space."

The park honours Lawrence Hong, 27, Josh Hunter, 23, Kaitlin Perras, 23, Jordan Segura, 22 and Zackariah Rathwell, 21, who lost their lives at a party meant to celebrate the end of the school year. All were known for their appreciation of the arts.

"It's healing, and we want it to be a place of healing as well," said Ronda-Lee Rathwell, mother of victim Zackariah Rathwell, when the park was announced last year. 

Rathwell was in a local band with victim Josh Hunter, 23. Segura enjoyed community, and Hong had an interest in city planning. Kaitlin Perras was a ballet dancer.

All five victims were stabbed to death at the house party on April 15, 2014. Originally charged with five counts of first-degree murder, Matthew de Grood was found not criminally responsible (NCR) after a two-week trial in May 2016. 

It has been a long road for the families.

Patty Segura, mother of Jordan Segura, told CBC News in 2016 that attending the trial was a "waste of time" and had been difficult on her. 

"I'm not going to carry it with me every day," she said. "I'll always have Jordan in my heart, but I won't always have this legal stuff with me every day. I'll go find some happiness somewhere."

A new video released by the Quinterra Legacy Group brings the park to life, giving a drone-style tour of the artist's renderings.

"It's a spectacular video, it really brings the park to life," Perras said of the video now presented on the group's website, Quinterra Legacy Garden.

"We have front and centre a YouTube video that was created by some wonderful people that really brings the garden to life with the 3D video of coming in, landing over the reservoir, seeing the various instruments in their positions, the stage, and just the entire location outlined."

The Quinterra Legacy Garden was designed by Bassett Associates Landscape Architecture Inc.

The group has raised nearly 90 per cent of the money needed for the park's construction, and Perras said they expect to break ground in May. A grand opening event is scheduled for Aug. 29.

With construction costs pegged at $425,000, and another $150,000 planned for a sustainability fund, the group plans a fundraising push in the next two months.

"We're going to be looking at creating a sustainability fund that will help us care for the park over the next 20 years, so in the case of a tree dying or an instrument breaking, we want to replace it. So that's … just to about $575,000," Perras said. "Those are immediate goals, but we also would like to raise some programming funds so that the Quinterra Group could have some programming events at the space as well."

Located in south Glenmore Park adjacent to the Nautical Spray Park, and down the road from the sailing club, the memorial garden will offer some of the best views in the city.

"It's probably the pre-eminent space in Calgary," Perras said. "When you look from the memorial chairs that will be there, you'll be looking straight down the reservoir at the Calgary Tower in downtown. So it's just a spectacular location."

The Quinterra Group's mission is to "provide a peaceful, contemplative and vibrant outdoor space for Calgarians to reflect, heal and remember," according to the group's website.

Barclay Hunter, Josh's father, told CBC that all five victims were creative and the park is the perfect way to honour them.

"It's been a big part of our healing," he said. 

For more information or to donate, visit the Parks Foundation website or the Quinterra Legacy Gardens website.

With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.