A pair of signs will be installed at Delview Park commemorating the Komagata Maru.
The Parks, Recreation and Culture Commission as well as the Heritage Advisory Committee endorsed the placement of two signs, one in English and one in Punjabi, recognizing the historical significance of the Komagata Maru, a ship chartered by a Punjabi man to take 376 people from Calcutta to Vancouver in hopes of a better life.
Upon arrival, apart from a few, passengers were prevented from disembarking while immigration laws were being challenged in the courts.
The ship was escorted out of Canadian waters and returned to India where 20 passengers were killed by British authorities.
A Delta staff report notes the signs tell the story of that time and the events that followed, including an apology in May 2008 by the Province of B.C., and followed by an apology by then Prime Minister Steven Harper.
The park has become a place of gathering with many being of lndo-Canadian decent, the report notes, adding it’s appropriate to recognize the history in a place where diversity is now welcome.
The North Delta park has been undergoing a number of improvements over the past two years, including a new shelter, cricket pitch as well as a relocated and enlarged off-leash dog area.
Further improvements are still planned, including the addition of a batting cage to serve cricket and ball, as well as a new washroom facility.
The signs will further improve the esthetics of the park and help recognize the struggles endured by the immigrants in establishing a life in this country, the report adds.
