A few dozen people gathered in solemn remembrance of the victims of the Algo Centre Mall collapse on the tenth anniversary of the disaster.
They appeared in common purpose to honour the memories of Lucie Aylwin and Doloris Perizzolo who were killed when the downtown shopping mall roof collapsed a few blocks away, exactly 10 years earlier.
The lakeside wreath laying, led by Mayor Dan Marchisella, took place at 11 a.m. at the Mall Memorial, on the shores of Horne Lake.
The mayor asked all present to observe a moment of silence while he placed a wreath next to the two memorial plaques fastened to granite rocks honouring the women.
There were no speeches. The mayor made it clear it was a time for each to ponder the moment, to reflect, or say a silent prayer.
A stiff breeze coming onshore repeatedly knocked over his red wreath on its metal stand, prior to the wreath-laying ceremony. Each time the mayor righted it and sought a better anchor.
The bodies of Perizzolo, 74, and Aylwin, 37, were recovered from the mall wreckage following days of rescue and recovery work.
A squad of emergency workers came to town and worked day and night in search of the victims.
The subsequent commission looking into the tragedy heard testimony that around 2 p.m. on Saturday June 23, 2012, Perizzolo was in the mall to buy a lottery ticket from Aylwin, who was working at the lottery kiosk.
Both women were trapped while more than 20 other people suffered various injuries.
