Quinterra Legacy Garden is officially open to the public

The Quinterra Legacy Garden Group has opened a garden commemorate the deaths of five young Albertans who were murdered in 2014.

Family and friends of the victims came together to create the group. Their mission is to “provide a peaceful, contemplative and vibrant outdoor space for Calgarians to reflect, heal and remember,” the Quinterra Legacy Group wrote in a press release from this summer.

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Lawrence Hong, Josh Hunter, Kaitlan (Kaiti) Perras, Jordan Segura, and Zackariah Rathwell lost their lives in Brentwood, Calgary at an end-of-semester party. They were stabbed to death by Matthew de Grood, who was found not guilty due to a mental disorder he suffers from. 

Quinterra Legacy Garden Group

The project was launched last June, and officially opened to the public on Thursday, October 15.

“We are incredibly proud of how this space has turned out. It wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community and our many sponsors and donors,” said Barclay Hunter, father of Josh Hunter and member of the Quinterra Legacy Group, in the release.

“Our hope for this garden is that it will provide visitors a space to appreciate the arts and explore their creativity. This is the legacy we wanted to create for our children.”

Quinterra Legacy Garden Group

The garden features a concrete performance stage, ornamental trees, a picnic area, access to Calgary’s pathway system, outdoor musical instruments, and is located in South Glenmore Park.

A little sample of one of the instruments being installed at Quinterra Legacy Garden!
Visit https://t.co/G03GloeAK4 to donate to maintaining this space into the future.#Calgary #yycparks #yyc #calgaryparks pic.twitter.com/v1O4H3ZaW7

— Quinterra Legacy Garden (@quinterralegacy) September 4, 2020

A total of $650,000 was raised to create the garden, with partners including Parks Foundation Calgary, City of Calgary Parks, The Province of Alberta, Enmax, The Calgary Foundation, Bassett Associates Landscape Architecture, and the Prophets of Music.

“We are thrilled to finally be able to welcome users into this beautiful space. So much work has gone into designing the garden to accommodate all types of users and groups,” said Sheila Taylor, CEO of Parks Foundation Calgary, in the release.

“Thank you to the families of the Quinterra Group for collaborating with us on this project, and to the many supporters in the community who made it possible.”

Quinterra Legacy Garden Group