Earlier this month, Vancouver Whitecaps FC unveiled a new steel grey "Unity Jersey," a nod to the Ironworkers of British Columbia who have built and bridged our communities. And, as you can see below, one 'Caps fan took this opportunity to honour her late grandfather, who passed away from a workplace accident while helping to build Vancouver's skyline.
Billie said the above photo was taken from the corner where her grandfather passed away.
Metro Vancouver is connected by more than 20 bridges throughout the Lower Mainland, linking Richmond, the Fraser Valley, North and West Vancouver, and every community in between. The “Unity Jersey” represents the union of fans, club, and city, symbolized through the subtle interlocking pattern on the front of the jersey – similar to what is seen in a steel structure.
“This year we wanted to represent the heart of Vancouver, and that’s the grit and hard work of our city,” said Bob Lenarduzzi, president of Whitecaps FC. “I grew up in East Vancouver, blocks from the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge. Today I regularly cross that bridge, as well as the Lions Gate Bridge, from the other side in North Vancouver. These structures are examples of how our communities in the Lower Mainland have been united. With 2018 marking the 60th anniversary of the tragic collapse during construction of the Second Narrows Bridge, we decided to pay tribute to all ironworkers and all people who are building and bridging our communities.”
