Bellevue Park memorial unveiled in remembrance of murder victim Taylor Marshall

A Bellevue Park memorial has been set up in memory of Taylor Marshall, the 22-year-old Sault Ste. Marie woman who was killed almost exactly one year ago in her John Street apartment.

The memorial represents months of work by the city, in communication with Taylor's mother Shirley Marshall, who currently lives in Alberta.

A plaque and bench now stands facing a bed of flowers near the greenhouse in the park. Behind it, a sapling has been planted with another plaque on a rock at its base.

"This tree is gonna grow along with her memory," said Shirley.

Shirley was in the Sault last week and held a small gathering at the peaceful space in the park, where she has many happy memories with her kids when they were younger.

"We used to come here all the time," she said. "We used to go to the lake or to the little pond there with the ducks and they loved it. We used to have lots of laughs."

Now, friends and family have a space to remember the young woman whose life was tragically cut short.

The memorial was created under the city's commemorative bench program, which allows members of the public to purchase a bench in memory of a loved one or significant event.

"I've been working with them all year to do something special for her and they've really been a big help," said Shirley, of working with city staff on the memorial.

Taylor was laid to rest in the far west end of the city. Shirley said the central location of the memorial gives friends and family a peaceful place to remember her daughter in a place that holds meaning to her memory.

"I just wanted them to have accessibility and a peaceful place to visit," said Shirley of the placement for the memorial.

The plaque at the base of the tree has a QR code, which will eventually link to a web site for people to learn more about the woman and receive updates on the family's fight for justice.

The plaque was placed temporarily for Shirley's visit and will be replaced soon with a more suitable base, said Jordan Allard, advisor to Mayor Matthew Shoemaker.

Steven Jones of Toronto is facing a murder charge in connection with Marshall's killing and an attempted murder charge for a brutal boardwalk assault that left the victim, Liam Frenette, with serious injuries.