Mom anxious to see park at Club Seventy-Seven, where her son died
Ryan Milner was stabbed to death in 2006
Standing in front of Hamilton city councillors this week, Linda Milner looked calm enough.
If I open my mouth, I'm going to bawl.- Linda Milner, whose son was killed at Club Seventy-Seven
She held a photo of her son Ryan, who was stabbed to death at Club Seventy-Seven in 2006.
Other members of the delegation in the council chambers held copies of years-delayed plans to turn the area into a park. They want council to act now to stop the noise and violence they claim are associated with the King William Street club.
Milner didn't say anything during the presentation. She wanted to, but she couldn't.
"I was on the verge of tears," she said.
"I kept thinking, 'I should say something to help them out. Then I thought, 'If I open my mouth, I'm going to bawl.'"
- Neighbours worry about music and violence near Club Seventy-Seven downtown
- Area around Club 77 too violent, so speed up plan to turn it into a park: residents
Such is the emotion inspired by the issue of violence at Club Seventy-Seven, outside of which doorman Vincent Lofaro was shot and killed in May
One of these timelines is going to continue: the violence or the park.- Dale Mugford
Film Work Lofts residents across the street are now pushing the city to proceed with a plan to buy the club property and put a park there.
They say they deal with regular fighting, drunkeness, property damage, loitering, public urination and noise, among other infractions.
Work on the John/Rebecca Park is scheduled to start in 2021, and there's $1.5 million allocated for 2018 to acquire land. But the residents, who held a public meeting in June, want it to happen sooner.
So does Milner.
Ryan was a 22-year-old Grimsby resident fatally stabbed in the chest at a Sean Price concert. Police used surveillance video to identify the culprit, who wore a ball cap with JOKER on the front.
Milner said she'd love to sit and reflect in a park there.
"I would like to see the park go through just so I can go there and visit where Ryan was in the last moments of his life."
Milner and Jackie Attard, close friend of Lofaro, held photos of their loved ones at the general issues committee meeting on Wednesday to persuade councillors to move ahead.
City staff will bring back an update on the park plan in the next month.
Dale Mugford, chair of the Film Work Lofts board, said he was pleased councillors seemed to understand the urgency. He showed them video during his presentation of a loud late-night brawl outside the club.
"One of these timelines is going to continue: the violence or the park," he said. "Which one is up to you."
So far, the club has remained fairly silent on the issue. Coun. Jason Farr says that includes attending but not speaking at the June public meeting.
The club has also not commented on the matter when contacted by the CBC.