Larche Memorial Park dedicated to fallen RCMP officer

Saint John is dedicating a park in honour of Const. Douglas Larche on Sunday, four months after the RCMP officer was shot in Moncton.

Larche, who grew up in Saint John and attended St. Malachys High School, was working for the Codiac RCMP when he was gunned down by Justin Christien Bourque in June.

Regardless of what badge we wear,we do stand shoulder to shoulder in our communities, as protectors of the communities, saidorganizer Sgt. Steve Wilson with the Saint John Police Force.

It is to remember those fallen officers and not to forget.

The park is in the city's west sideon Hillcrest Drive.

Wilson says Larche's family has been working with the city and other groups to make upgrades to the park.

More than $50,000 from 20 donors has been collected.

Twelve new park benches and a nearly two-metre high monument dedicated to Larche will be unveiled Sunday.

Three maple trees representing each of the fallen Mounties will surround the monument.

Nelson Monuments donated the $14,000 granite structure.

The important part was that we do something about this. It wasn't about money. We just wanted to make sure my kids remember this, my parents, my brother, my sister everybody in the communities I guess. We just wanted to make sure we participated, said employee Eric Beaudoin.

A public dedication ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. at the Hillcrest Drive park.

Const. Dave Joseph Ross and Const. Fabrice Georges Gevaudan were also killed on June 4. Const. ric Stphane J. Dubois and Const. Marie Darlene Goguen were wounded in the attack.