‘It’s going to be rather quiet:’ Humboldt marks fourth anniversary of Broncos crash

The City of Humboldt will mark the fourth anniversary of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in a low-key manner Wednesday.

City manager Joe Day said video tributes will be played during the afternoon inside Elgar Petersen Arena, the home of the SJHL’s Broncos.

“People have the opportunity to just go in there and sit and kind of reflect,” Day told The Canadian Press. “(There) will be some of the memento items that were donated on display there.

“It’s going to be rather quiet and just a time for people to show up, drop in and kind of reflect back on all the things that have happened over the last little while.”

On April 6, 2018, the Broncos were en route to Nipawin for a playoff game when their bus and a semi collided at the intersection of highways 35 and 335 north of Tisdale. Sixteen people on the bus died and 13 others were injured.

A memorial was set up at the intersection shortly after the crash, but there are plans to erect a more permanent memorial. Last year, the city announced plans to put up a tribute centre in Humboldt to honour the victims.

The $35-million project also includes an arena and a fitness and physiotherapy area, as well as a permanent memorial at the site of the crash.

But Day said the plan is bogged down with feasibility studies and discussions about the project’s final cost.

“The reality is it has moved slower than any of us would have hoped,” he said. “We would have liked to have been making some more announcements by now.

“But the process moves a little bit slower than what we would have liked. A lot of it does come down to those different levels of governmental support and when we can get the confirmation of some of that.”

Day said talks are underway with companies, individuals and levels of government, all of whom have indicated they want to donate. But the fundraising can’t officially begin until the feasibility studies are complete.

“If we do need to scale it back, there is that understanding that it just might have to happen in the end if we don’t get the support for the full ($)35 million,” Day said.

— With files from The Canadian Press