On Sunday evening, more than 150 people rode their bicycles through downtown Orillia in honour of Chris Bellchambers, who drowned in Lake Couchiching on June 20.
The event was organized by Bellchambers' cousin, James Mcrae, along with other family and friends, to pay tribute to Bellchambers and his love for his bike.
“We started at the library with mostly friends and family of Chris, and more and more people joined in when they realized what it was for,” Mcrae said.
Mcrae led the pack while riding the bike that belonged to Bellchambers.
“People in traffic were honking their horns and smiling. Christopher’s bike has become a bit of a monument and yesterday was probably the last time it will ever be driven. Now it’s going to be put on display at Ironside E Motors,” he explained.
Mcrae is now working on establishing a foundation in Bellchambers' name which would honour his passions and values.
“We always have one neighbour in our lives that we’ve occasionally helped, whether that be helping take out the trash, helping to carry groceries in, or housekeeping things here and there. But in life you can’t always be there to help your neighbour,” he explained.
“So, that’s when you would contact our organization, nominate your neighbour for our services, and then we would sit down and discuss the exact level of assistance that they need and we would send someone to help.”
Mcrae is also hoping to set up a low-profit temporary agency that would fund the LEGO Chris Project.
“Christopher was passionate about three things in his life: LEGO, volunteering, and working. So, I’m hopeful we can create the 'LEGO Chris' project where we can build a life-sized Chris out of LEGO and gain permission to have him on City of Orillia property,” he explained.
Mcrae has been working with Creative Nomad Studios and the Orillia Youth Centre on coming up with a plan for the LEGO monument.
“I’m hoping once he’s built, Chris can be found at all his usual spots. The farmers' market every Saturday, flea market on Sunday, the bus stop on Monday, and whenever there is a non-profit event going on they can have Chris for the day for $1, if it’s a for-profit event they can donate $50 to our organization for the day," he said.
"I’m hoping Chris can become a part of the community again."
Mcrae says he’s been inspired to keep Bellchambers' legacy alive ever since attending his vigil at Couchiching Beach Park.
“I saw how many people loved and cared for Chris. There were around 200 people there that day, it inspired me to continue his name,” he explained.
“He meant everything to this community, he loved being a part of things, he always greeted people with a smile, and always treated people with respect.”
Mcrae is looking for assistance with the foundation. He is hopeful a lawyer, social workers and volunteers will step up to join the board of directors.
To get involved, you can contact Mcrae through though the foundation’s Facebook page.
