March 6, 2006 will always be a memorable day for Sara Purvis.
It’s the day her father, Robert Nesbitt, died in a mining accident at Inco.
At the time, Nesbitt was a scoop operator at Stobie Mine, who was mucking by remote. When the accident occurred, “he was crushed underneath the platform he was on,” Purvis recalled.
She was one of nearly 200 people at the launch of the Leo Gerard Workers’ Memorial Park this past weekend.
Purvis said the opening of the park was “emotional.”
Nesbitt’s name was one of hundreds on a plaque unveiled on Labour Day, Sept. 5, at the Val Caron park.
A park which honours local men and women who have lost their lives on the job was opened on Labour Day, Sept. 5. The park was named after Sudburian Leo Gerard, Steelworkers international president (pictured above). Photo by Jenny Jelen.
“I wasn’t prepared for what was happening,” she said. “To see (my father’s) name up there — it’s nice to see.”
Ward 5 Coun. Ron Dupuis spearheaded the project.
He said thoughts of building a memorial space have been in place for about two years, and now seemed like a good time to make those ideas a reality.
“It’s something we wanted to do to recognize the men and women who lost their lives on the job,” Dupuis said.
He said he hopes the park will be “a place where people can come in and sit and relax and reflect. If they have loved ones who died on the job, it gives them a place to come and just be with them.”
Naming the park after Leo Gerard, a Sudbury native who is now the international president of the United Steelworkers union, was “basically the only choice,” Dupuis said.
“There’s no other Sudburian who has risen through the ranks to become president of the largest international union in the world,” Dupuis said. “Leo has done that. He’s proud to tell people he’s from Sudbury. He has always been a strong advocate for safety and health in the workplace his whole life. It’s very appropriate it be named after him.”
Gerard said it was “humbling” to be the guest of honour at the launch of the park.
As much as he liked the idea of remembering those who lost their lives in the workplace, Gerard said he looks forward to a day when no new names are added. “It drives home how big the task is,” he said. “We have to recognize those that came before, and fight like hell to make sure there won’t be any more names added to that (list).”
-Posted by Heather Green-Oliver
