Dauphin mourns elderly community ‘who made us where we are today’

Canada
Published 18.06.2023
Dauphin mourns elderly community ‘who made us where we are today’

The aged neighborhood in Dauphin is among the many hardest hit by final week’s deadly freeway crash, with many understanding buddies who had been on the bus.

Residents of Dauphin are trying to find solutions and anxiously ready for updates in regards to the identities of the victims and the standing of those that stay in hospital.

“We just can’t imagine the devastation that families are having to cope with right now, and so our hearts go out to them,” stated 90-year-old Florence Marchak.

Fifteen folks had been killed and 10 had been injured in Thursday’s fiery crash between a transport truck and a minibus that was carrying seniors from the Dauphin space to a on line casino close to Carberry, Man., some 190 kilometres away.

Six of the hospitalized sufferers stay in essential situation, Shared Health stated in an replace Sunday morning.

Some of these on the bus concerned within the crash are believed to be from St. George’s Place, a retirement house in Dauphin – the small neighborhood of 8,600 folks northwest of Winnipeg.


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Florence and Mike Marchak, 97, neighbours of the seniors’ residence, say they’ve been left heartbroken by the crash.

“It’s close knit and we’re sure there will be many affected,” Florence stated.

The Marchaks, long-time residents of the world, instructed CityNews it’s their understanding folks they knew had been on the bus, including no such tragedy has ever hit the city.

“Nothing of this magnitude,” stated Florence.

Dauphin mourns elderly community ‘who made us where we are today’
Dauphin residents Florence and Mike Marchak. (CityNews)

‘The individuals who constructed the church buildings’

The ambiance on the retirement house was heavy over the weekend, in response to a person whose mom lives there, as folks processed the devastating news. Kevin Dohan stated these most affected by the tragedy are those who helped construct the muse for the sturdy, Prairie neighborhood.

“These folks are the people who built the churches, farmed in the community,” stated Dohan. “Built the stores, ran the stores. Anything here, it was our seniors who made us where we are today.”

The RCMP have stated the truck concerned within the crash was travelling east on the Trans-Canada Highway when the southbound minibus crossed at an intersection. Investigators haven’t but spoken with the motive force of the bus, who remained in hospital together with the 9 different survivors.

Sign for St. George’s Place, a retirement house in Dauphin, on June 17, 2023. (CityNews)

Given the character of the tight-knit neighborhood, the place neighbours know each other and buddies are all the time close by, residents instructed CityNews it’s not onerous to search out folks immediately impacted by the deadly crash.

“Just by the nature of a small community, we’re one to two degrees removed from these families,” stated Dauphin resident Kirk Nyquist.

Flags at half mast

Flags throughout the town and province had been at half-staff after the lethal collision. A flag on Nyquist’s garden was additionally lowered in honour of these coping with the tragedy.

“One of the biggest jokes in a small community is if you want to meet a friend, go to the co-op,” he stated. “Try to get your shopping done in five minutes? Good luck. We’re a small community. We know people on the streets.”

Nyquist additionally says the reducing of the flag was his means of making an attempt to indicate help for all affected, saying the town is doing what it may well to rally collectively.

“As a small community, we’ve come together,” he stated. “#Dauphinstrong, that’s pretty much what a small community is about.”

The province is encouraging these affected or having a tough time to name 1-888-379-7699 for help and data on assets.

Aerial shot of Dauphin, Man., on June 16, 2023. (CityNews)

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