After “much back and forth between us and the Ministry of Transport” Shawnigan Lake’s Jan Collins has been notified that her son’s memorial bus stop will remain just that, a bus stop.
Nick’s Stop, which sits on Renfrew Road near Linden Lane, was built to remember Nick Collins, 15, who was struck and killed by a pickup truck at that spot in 2007.
The memorial — which stands not just to memorialize a youth loved by his community, but also to remind drivers to slow down on Renfrew Road — was destroyed in March as a result of a car accident.
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The community rallied to rebuild the stop but during construction, Nick’s mom learned from the Cowichan Valley Regional District that due to what they deemed to be safety issues, they wouldn’t allow the bench and roof structure to be rebuilt as an official bus stop.
“I’m not willing to fight the CVRD,” Jan Collins said at the time. “They said we could put Nick’s memorial back there so that’s what’s going to happen. It’ll still have Nick’s spirit there.”
But things have changed.
“The CVRD and Ministry of Transport changed their minds,” Collins confirmed with a smile.
Thrilled with the latest development, Collins wanted to take the time to thank those involved in the stop’s reconstruction and the efforts to keep her son’s memory alive.
“The Collins family is eternally grateful to everyone involved — they will always be a part of Nick’s Stop,” she said. “Thanks to Sean from All Valley Electrical Services, Brad from Coastal Custom Build, Paul from McCallum Roofing, Tyeler from Fencetera, Rick from Westcoast Cedar Designs, Rockside Enterprises, Lee from KP Construction, Moo’s Pizza, Thrifty Foods, Flaggers Sarah & Raechelle, Benjamin Moore Paints, Angelo, Vanessa Allen, Gary Bishop, Kyle Batty, Roy Willson, the CVRD and Ministry of Transport, and everyone who gave honks, waves and their best wishes.”
sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
