Safe street advocates create memorial for man killed in motorcycle collision on Parkside Drive
CBC
A community group that promotes safety on a busy Toronto street created a memorial on Saturday for a man killed in a motorcycle collision more than three years ago.
Oliver (O'Jay) Sabater, 45, died on Parkside Drive on Sept. 15, 2018. A car collided with the motorcycle he was riding. Sabater died instantly. A female passenger, 27 at the time, suffered critical injuries.
Safe Parkside, the community group, organized a ceremony for Sabater at the intersection of Parkside Drive and Howard Park Avenue on the east side of High Park. Dozens of people attended, carrying flowers and signs that read "Justice for O'Jay" and "Always in Our Hearts."
At the ceremony, family members and friends listened to a song about safe streets and a poem about Sabater. Later, the crowd walked north to a pole near the crash site, where the memorial was created. Group members taped posters featuring his photo and bouquets of flowers to the pole.
Leni-Jayne Tang, Sabater's sister, told reporters that his family continues to miss him deeply. With his jokes and laughter, he missed his calling as a comedian, she said.
"If you actually knew my brother, he was the life of the party. He was the jokester. He would make everything fun," Tang said. "I can honestly definitely say, now that he's gone, there's a huge darkness and a light that is missing from our family."
Tang said his death has been painful and her family wants justice and closure. Toronto police charged a man in his death, a trial began in the case, but it was halted in February 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said the family is frustrated that the trial has not yet resumed. As well, she said police need to enforce the speed limit on Parkside Drive.
Jessica Sabater, his daughter, said she feels as though she has lost her best friend.
"He took me everywhere. We went everywhere together until basically his death really. On the day he died, he was actually at my birthday dinner. He planned the whole thing with my best friend and they surprised me with it. It's just losing your best friend in that way. It's terrible. It's hard," she said.
Sabater said the community support has made a huge difference and she appreciates the memorial that has been created.
"It's very overwhelming. We are so appreciative of all the support that we have here," she said.
Both Tang and Sabater said the city must make Parkside Drive safer without further delay.
The memorial comes after a crash on Parkside Drive that killed an older couple, Valdemar Avila, 71, and Fatima Avila, 69, on Oct. 12. Valdemar died at the scene, while Fatima died in hospital.
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