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Lanteigne said the walk, which will be followed by presentations made by child advocacy groups at the arker days may be Dahead for the resiâ€" dents of 12 Dupont St. in Waterloo. Those who live in the complex fear the contrucâ€" tion of a new fiveâ€"storey mixedâ€"use building to their rear at 26 Dorset St. will block the natural light they depend on to brighten their apartments. â€""That‘s our only light source," said Pat Inglis, who lives in the building. "They‘ll Called Holly‘s Hope, it‘s a tribute to Holly Jones and other children hurt by crime or abuse, with a memorial walk through Waterloo Park. Walk raises awareness for victims of child abuse t was another blow to Ilocal parents‘ sense of security when Toronto‘s Holly Jones was abducted and murdered a year ago. It made the world a little less safe when the vibrant 10â€"yearâ€"old never returned from walking a friend home. An arrest in the case brought little comfort. and the abduction of another Torontoâ€"area girl, Cecilia Zhang. helped raise the same fears again in the fall. Waterloo‘s â€" Louisette Lanteigne knows about those feelings, with parents asking whether it‘s a safe world out there. The mother of three has had the same concerns, which was why she joined the Waterloo Regional Block Parents. And, as a member of the local group, she‘s helping organize an event this Saturâ€" day, May 15, that hopes to restore some of that "innoâ€" cence lost". Proposed building will block light, say residents ‘Holly‘s Hope‘ VOLIvyo pa_ tor life 583 Ku;y St N, Waterloe Acioss From Conestoga Mall LOOKING FOR A NEW VOLYO? By AnprEA Baitey By Bos VrBanac Chronicle Staff Chronicle Staff Bâ€"K VOLVO 885â€"5091 wvew bevolva net "It will be like living in a war zone," added Michal Manson, who also lives in the building. "I might as well be a photographer with a dark room." Property owners Reinâ€" hold and Gunther Dresler are planning to include four floors of various sized resiâ€" dential units in the building, with commercial units on the bottom floor. They will go before the City of Waterloo‘s committee of adjustment next Tuesday, "When the story of Holly‘s abduction came out, Block Parents was really tuned in because it was the nature of our work," said Lanteigne about the longâ€" time program that gives children safe harbout in homes that display its familâ€" iar red and white signs. "We care about kids and want to be on the lookout for them. "Through the Block Parâ€" ent network we got the story out and it really touched a nerve with us. When we heard it was murder we realâ€" ly wanted to do something to commemorate Holly." Lanteigne, who once lived in the same neighâ€" bourhood as the Jones famiâ€" ly, and whose oldest daughâ€" ter Samantha is only a month older than Holly, said the focus has always been on the gravity of the crime since the abduction. And she thought there should be a better legacy for the little girl who had her potential cut short. "We wanted to do someâ€" thing that focused on the child instead of the crime," said Lanteigne. "What hapâ€" be cutting off all of our natâ€" ural sunlight." Waterloo Memorial Recreâ€" ation Complex, is striving to restore hope to a situation that a lot of parents and people feel is out of their control â€" violence towards children. May 18, requesting relief from setback provisions in the city‘s zoning bylaw, as well as an additional seven parking spaces, which would bring the total up to 24. Residents of 12 Dupont St. have circulated a petition around their neighbourâ€" hood in opposition of the new building. According to the petition, "It is understood that the proposed building will have balconies facing these winâ€" dows on both levels. If a tenâ€" ant (at 12 Dupont St.) wantâ€" Waterloo Regional Block Parents spokesperson Louisette Lanteigne has helped organize Holly‘s Hope, a walk for vicâ€" tims of child abuse this Saturday at Waterloo Park. pened was we contacted _ event, and they‘ve been very Holly‘s parents in Septemâ€" _ supportive of it." ber and asked for their perâ€" In fact, Holly‘s mother, mission if we could do this â€" Maria, is tentatively schedâ€" PAGE 3 a Tss [[TEERS "This situation would be ongoing, which could make ed any privacy, they would have to close blinds or drapes, leaving no available light from that direction. IROMTIGE "It will be like â€" Michal Manson concerned resident living in a war zone." "Who‘s going to help us there?" she asked. Other concerns cited in the petition are noise and dust pollution, loss of parkâ€" ing, and interuption of busiâ€" ness on Princess Street durâ€" ing the contruction period. They include the Comâ€" munity Safety and Crime Prevention Council, Kâ€"W Counselling and Child Find. it difficult for the owner of the building to attract future tenants, or perhaps even to keep the present ones." Manson added, considâ€" ering the cost of hydro many residents may no longer be able to afford living in the building. "We just wanted to send the message that if children are abused it‘s not their fault, and when we address these children we should not define them as being victims because it puts the stigma of the crime on them." These children are still innocent, said Lanteigne, although they‘ve had some of that innocence snatched from them. "It‘s about celebrating the _ children," said Lanteigne about the mesâ€" sage that Holly‘s Hope wants to get out. "It‘s about remembering the good things, and that‘s what we want to protect." The walk ends at the Waterloo Memorial Recreâ€" ation Complex with a nui; ber of local child advoc groups in attendance, all working to protect children from being hurt by crime and abuse. uled to attend the event this Saturday, and is encouraged by the hopeful tone that organizers have set for the event. "It is a memorial walk, but it isn‘t a mournful time," said Lanteigne. "It‘s actually a hopeful time. So far, Manson said. 677 Belrgont Ave. W.. Kitchener 330 Gage Arenue, Kitchener 1120 Victoria St. N , Kiftchener 245 Edinburgh Road, Guelph 583 King St. N. . Waterloo â€"â€"â€"â€" & DESIGN CENTRES â€"â€" "We have to hold on to that hope, because hope means healing, and there are ways through this to make sure our children are whole, _ complete â€" and happy." _ _ "We wanted to show that we really do care, and that there are things we can do to protect our kids," said Lanteigne. "With people moving around so much because of work and their schedules, it‘s really difficult for people to form a group or a network. She will present the docâ€" ument to the committee of adjustment during next week‘s meeting. "The (plan} doesn‘t fit in well with the overall neighâ€" bourhood," Inglis said. "It will change the atmosphere of the area. This is a unique area and we have a nice blend right now." "This (plan) is very offenâ€" sive," Manson added. "They‘re putting a fiveâ€" storey monster in the midâ€" dle of the uptown block." "We‘re trying to create a legacy for Holly that sepaâ€" rates her from the crime," said Lanteigne. "That‘s what we hope to do through this and Block Parents. It‘s about building community and building a sense of belonging." And it‘s about reclaiming that sense of security that seems to be lost when another case of abuse or abduction comes up. "An abuser kills the hope in people," said Lanteigne. "But that hope doesn‘t actuâ€" ally die. It‘s our perception that is affected. The plan is to take Holly‘s Hope to other communities depending on the success of the initial event. "It‘s about healing and making a difference in the lives of a lot of kids." about 30 neighbours have signed the petition. _ (519) 578â€"5330 ($19) 576 8200 (519) 576 7576 (519) 836â€"4731 ($19) 77211 27