Kitchener-Waterloo

Mayor of Grand Valley aids search for missing Kaden Young

As the search for missing three-year-old Kaden Young continues this weekend, the mayor of Grand Valley has been doing his part to help.

One woman has started a petition that calls for a guard rail on 10th Line, north of the Station Street bridge

Kaden Young, 3, has been missing since he was pulled from his mothers arms and swept into the Grand River near Orangeville, Ont., on Feb. 21. (Submitted by the Young family)

Volunteers are out in full force this weekend as the search for missing three-year-old Kaden Young continues, and the mayor of Grand Valley has been doing his part to help.

Steve Soloman, mayor of Grand Valley, told CBC News on Saturday he's been going out every day he can to search areas along the Grand River. 

"I go out because I feel like I should do something too," said Soloman.

"He needs to be found. I hope I can help do that."

The mayor said he hopes to search with Kaden's grandfather, who has a submersible drone, again this weekend. Solomon says he's also working with staff to bring in boats to help with the search.

Volunteers continued the search Saturday morning at 9 a.m. Soloman said he plans to search until Saturday evening.

A memorial for Kaden has formed on a bridge overlooking the Grand River. (Adrian Cheung/CBC)

Petition for guard rail 

Kaden went missing in the Grand River just before 1 a.m. on Feb. 21 as the van his mother was driving got caught in floodwaters over the road near their home in Waldemar, west of Orangeville.

His mother, Michelle Hanson, tried to get her son out of the van, but he was ripped from her arms by the force of the water.

In light of the continued effort to find Kaden, one woman has started a petition that calls for a guard rail on 10th Line, north of the Station Street bridge.

"In hopes of ensuring public safety and restricting vehicles or persons from entering the Grand River from this spot," the petition, created by Kelly Trombley-Robinson, reads.

The petition calls for 10,000 signatures. By Saturday afternoon, over 300 people signed the petition.

 Trombley-Robinson said in a Facebook post she will be collecting signatures over the next few days. She aims to then take the petition to her city council on March 8.

Blue ribbons 

The city of Cambridge has given a small group of volunteers permission to tie blue ribbons along the Grand River to show support for Kaden's family.

"Those of us that are unable to assist in the search for Kaden feel that we needed to do something," the post reads.

"We want his family to know that we are thinking of them during this difficult time."

Volunteers will be out tying ribbons to trees along the Grand River in the Galt area of Cambridge, Ont. 

They will start at the Ferguson Cottage at 11 a.m. on Sunday.