Nearly 12 years after the death of his daughter, Gregg Perras still marks her birthday quietly, sitting in her chair in the Quinterra Legacy Garden while looking out over the Glenmore Reservoir in southwest Calgary.
“It was such a beautiful day. She would have loved that it was so sunny out,” Perras said.
“I like to come here on her birthday, so I came, and I sat in her chair, and I just looked out.”
The garden in South Glenmore Park honours the “Brentwood Five” — college-aged friends Jordan Segura, Josh Hunter, Kaiti Perras, Zachariah Rathwell and Lawrence Hong — who were killed at an end-of-year party in Calgary’s Brentwood neighbourhood in April 2014.
Matthew de Grood was found not criminally responsible for the homicides due to a mental disorder.
The garden, located at 90 Avenue and 24 Street S.W., opened in 2021. It features permanent outdoor musical instrument fixtures and a stage, which serves as a place to appreciate music and the arts, as well as to heal and remember those lives.
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For the families of the massacre victims, the space has become a place of reflection and connection rather than closure.
“It gives me peace, not closure — not total closure — but a sense that we have done something for our five children,” said Marlene Hong, Lawrence’s mother.
The entrance to the garden is normally marked by an ornate bronze plaque depicting a tree, with one branch representing each life lost.
But on what would have been Kaiti Perras’ 35th birthday, her father noticed the memorial sign was missing and presumed stolen.
“I’m kind of disgusted, to be honest,” Perras said.
“It’s kind of despicable that someone would take a memorial plaque from a park.”
Bronze plaque thefts have increased over the past five years as the value of metal has risen, according to the Calgary Police Service.
Acting Duty Insp. Shelby Stewart said it’s troubling when memorial items are targeted.
“Especially ones that carry any memorial value,” Stewart said. “We’ve seen war memorial plaques turn back up. I think once they realize that they can’t take it to the recyclers, oftentimes we’ll see them.”
Police are investigating the theft, canvassing nearby security cameras and asking anyone with information to come forward. Officers say there is still hope the plaque can be recovered.
The families are also appealing directly to whoever took it.
“Just lay it by the rock, we’ll put it back up,” Perras said.
“Walk away. No one will need to know.”
Despite the loss and the recent theft, the families say the Quintterra Legacy Garden remains a symbol of healing and community.
“This place gives hope,” Hong said. “Not only healing, but connecting with the community.”
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