N-O-T-L Doesn't Care About Dyan Bourque

Dyan Bourque was an 18 year old girl. Dyan had many friends and family who loved her more than anything. On September 20th 2003, she was driving alone down Concession 2, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, to pick up a few friends to go to a birthday party in Queenston. While passing by Line 9, Dyan lost control of her Honda Civic and crashed her car into a telephone pole. As a result of the accident, she passed away two days later.

A number or people have died as a result of driving on Concession 2. The road is very narrow and is lined with telephone poles. There is only one street light at each crossing Line, which at night makes it almost impossible to see where the road ends and the soft gravel shoulders begin. These bad road conditions have always been a largely contributing factor in each of the fatal accidents.

After Dyans death, driving past the site of Dyans accident was one of the hardest things to do in the world. To see the skid marks on the road, followed by the telephone pole that had gashes taken out of it from the impact of her car.
Pieces of plastic and chips of paint from her car surrounded the area.

Dyans friends felt that there was something that they needed to do to show Dyan how important she was to them and how much they loved her. A few of Dyans closest friends decided to build a memorial garden around Dyans pole in rememberance of what an amazing person she was. They planted colourful mums, as well as the bulbs yellow flowers so that they would come up in the spring. Yellow was Dyans favourite colour. They put a few items on the pole to show Dyan that they will never forget her, including a basketball shirt with her number 14 written on it. Dyans family placed items on the pole to show their love for Dyan such as poems and memorial plaques. Beautiful crosses were placed behind the pole with lovely flowers and wreaths decorating them.

Driving past the telephone pole that killed my bestfriend was no longer a gloomy sight for eyes filled with tears of pain. It had been transformed into a beautiful sight, full with memories that showed how much Dyan was loved for and will always be missed.

Dyan has no grave, so for most of us the pole was a place to put flowers on September 22nd as the years have passed, to show that Dyan has not been forgotten.
A few days ago, I drove past the pole and noticed that everything was gone. The pole was barren, all the memories and love ripped from it. The crosses were torn from the ground behind the pole. All that was left was the yellow flowers that had just come up this spring, and a photo of Dyan, although it had been destroyed when the other items were removed so that only half of her face was left.

Who could do something like this? Destroy a memorial of a young girl who died over 3 years ago?
Sadly, a woman from out of town called the City of Niagara-on-the-Lake and complained that she didn't like having to look at the memorial. Without hesitation, the city came and disrespectfully ripped down everything.
The city didn't even have the decency to contact Dyans mother when they did this. Dyans mom realized that the memorial had been destroyed and contacted the city herself about it. What was the city's response? They told her to come pick up the stuff from off the pole. Dyan's mom already had to go through enough 3 years ago, but ontop of everything to have to go pick up the remains of her dead daughters desecrated memorial is outrageous. The city didn't even keep everything either, they decided themselves what was worth keeping and what was should be thrown out. Only bits and pieces were left, and unfortunately even the basketball shirt with Dyan's number 14 written on it was thrown out.

This is an online petition that will show the city how many people are outraged and appalled by the action that has been taken against Dyan's memorial.
Please show that you care by taking the time to add your name and email address. Thank you to all who will show support.
Sincerely,
Sarah Stecyk