Calgarians are invited to gather together at a vigil for Parker Wells on Wednesday night. The vigil will be held at Municipal Plaza in front of City Hall starting at 7 p.m. and will feature a performance by New West Music and Arts Society, and readings and remembrances from Calgarians. Attendees are being asked to bring either cards or notes about Parker to be shared with his family. Materials at the vigil will be provided for Calgarians who are unable to bring cards. Guest speakers at the event include Mayor Jeromy Farkas and Calgary Police Chief Const. Katie McLellan. The master of ceremonies will be Ward 4 Coun. DJ Kelly. Parker, 11, went missing from a Thorncliffe day home on July 16, spawning a massive search involving hundreds of police officers and trained volunteers. On July 29, Parker’s body was found inside a series of pipes in a culvert on the west side of Deerfoot Trail. “I find it incredibly important for us to recognize the loss of Parker,” Farkas said during an unrelated event on Wednesday morning. “Calgary came together in such an amazing way because we lost an amazing kid, and having the vigil tonight is an opportunity for members of the community to come together, share stories, honor him in a way that respects the wishes of the family.” “Even though we have brought Parker home, there’s still a lot of hearts hurting,” McLellan added. “There are still a lot of people deeply committed and in pain because of what has happened and what we’ve gone through as a city – and not just as a city, as a country, and even outside the country, internationally.”
