Memorial for victims of Lapu-Lapu tragedy to be moved next week

Women pause at a memorial during a vigil on a provincial day of mourning for the victims of the vehicle-ramming attack at the Filipino community's Lapu Lapu Day festival last week, in Vancouver, on Friday, May 2, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The City of Vancouver says it will be moving a memorial that has stood at the site of the Lapu-Lapu Festival tragedy since April next week.

In a statement, the city said after consultations with victims and their families through police victim services, the memorial set up on the roadside at 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street will be moved on Wednesday.

The display will be consolidated with an existing memorial at the nearby Mountain View Cemetery. However, items not allowed at the cemetery including expired flowers, candles, and glass will be disposed of, the city said.

Anyone who wants to retrieve tokens left at the memorial or transport them on their own are asked to do so before Wednesday morning.

“The City of Vancouver continues to recognize the importance of spaces for expressions of remembrance and grief. For those wishing to visit and pay their respects, the three memorial structures located at Mountain View Cemetery, will remain in place at this time,” the statement reads.

“We recognize the community’s interest in establishing a permanent memorial to honour those who lost their lives. Any decisions regarding a permanent memorial will prioritize the wishes of the families who lost loved ones as a result of this incident. The city will provide updates on this in due course.”

The April 26 vehicle ramming attack at the Filipino street festival killed 11 people and injured many more.

Since then, 30-year-old Adam Kai-Ji Lo has been charged with 11 counts of second-degree murder. He remains in custody as hearings to determine if he is fit to stand trial continue.