Bench unveiled to honor security guard who died at Meyers Pier
Belleville Canada Sept 23 2021
A memorial bench was unveiled by Belleville city officials to honor a security guard killed in a freak accident June 28 while patrolling Meyers Pier.
The bench is dedicated to Larry A. Tilander, a security staff member with Maxama Security firm, who was struck and killed around 4 a.m. by a runaway truck that smashed through the chain link fence on the west side of the pier and crashed into the water.
The driver later turned herself into police.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk, city staff, family members and co-workers gathered under a small tent in a steady drizzle Wednesday morning for the bench dedication.
Tilander was also a dedicated community volunteer known for helping the homeless and LGBTQ community in the city and was involved with the Not Alone group.
Panciuk said the early morning loss of Tilander was a “terribly tragic day. You know, Larry was just out doing his job in the right place at the wrong time and we hope that the people who loved him can come and remember him at the bench.”
“I think he would have really appreciated that. He was a kind and gentle soul who cared about his city and he will be missed,” told The Intelligencer after the dedication.
In a post to the city’s Facebook page, the municipality said Tilander worked as a security guard at the Pier and Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre since 2014.
“In addition to his dedication to safety and helping people through his work, Larry was also very involved in helping the vulnerable and those less fortunate in his personal time,” the city said.
“Our hope is that this bench will serve as a permanent reminder of the impact that this special individual had on our community and the lives that he touched.”
