'I hope they still feel her smile': Brandon park named after four-year-old girl who passed away in October.
A park in Brandon is being named after a little girl who passed in October.
The park along Lakeview Drive is being named Olivia the Brave Park after Olivia Baessler.
She was four years old when she passed away and was known as the first person in Canada to receive a new throat therapy that used magnets back in 2017.
Olivia was born prematurely with her esophagus connected to her lungs.
Olivia's mother, Crystal Baessler, said the park is close to their house in Brandon and was the spot they took Olivia to play.
"She just really loved it," said Baessler.
She said the name Olivia the Brave was a name that was started by a family friend as Olivia was in and out of the hospital a lot, but she always had a smile on her face.
"After her passing, it became even bigger. First of all, she was super brave, but it just came to everybody to call her Olivia the Brave."
Baessler said originally they just wanted to set up a swing to honour Olivia because there were a lot of kids in the neighbourhood who were friends with her.
But after talking with friends, Baessler said they eventually went to city hall to see if they could name the park after her.
"So we went to the city, to the board of the City of Brandon. The council had some meetings, and they agreed and thought it was a great idea."
Baessler said there isn't a sign for the park just yet, but a friend of hers has designed a logo for the park.
She said it is super emotional knowing the park is being named after her daughter, but she noted it makes everyone around them extremely happy knowing Olivia could be honoured.
"I hope that they just feel that great, incredibly brave soul that she had… I hope they still feel her smile, and still feel her love."
Baessler said they plan to have fundraising for Olivia every year in October with funds going to the park and adding more to it, adding the park is for all the kids and she wants them to enjoy it just like Olivia did.
"She seemed to always help people. She didn't have a mean bone in her body."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.