His infectious personality and cheerful smile impacted many.
This week, the City of Parksville is working on a new initiative to pay respect to the legacy of beloved resident Phil St. Luke.
Also known as “Flying Phil,” St. Luke was well known throughout the Oceanside community as a bearer of joy with an uplifting personality and infectious smile.
After passing away on January 13th, the Flying Phil Committee launched a GoFundMe campaign to gather $80,000 worth of funds to cover the costs of a life-sized bronze statue of St. Luke.
“Phil not only gave thousands of hours to local charities, walked thousands of kilometres around the region no matter the weather, and excelled in his special Olympic pursuits, but most importantly he made many feel like we were all neighbours; giving a honk and wave to a familiar face,” said in a statement on the GoFundme.
Parksville city council approved the project on Monday, February 6th and has agreed the statue will be contingent on funds raised by the community.
“Rarely has an individual evoked so much joy in the community simply from having their presence and positivity on display, and with a statue, that impact will be able to live on,” said Councillor Adam Fras, who has advocated for the project.
As of right now, the committee is taking public input through the city online portal, getting quotes, communicating with the city on siting, and safeguarding donated funds for the project.
In the meantime, a separate city-funded community event has been scheduled for June 9th in honour of Phil’s passing,
To support the memorial fund, you can find the link here.
In the past, CTV’s Adam Sawatsky interviewed St. Luke which show’s his high energy and contagious energy:
