Construction is expected to start in February on the Rise Memorial in memory of the five men who died after a crane collapsed in downtown Kelowna on July 12, 2021. 

The Rise Memorial Foundation Director, Kelly Hutchinson, said that despite the province denying grant funding of $150,000 on the project they are still moving forward. 

"They told us we didn't have enough historical programming," Hutchinson explained of the province's decision. "We're a new society, so there's some truth on the history of it, but we did quite a few events."

Hutchinson said the other reason the funding was denied was said to be not enough funding to match the grant. "But that's actually not true. I provided a pretty robust accounting of what we're doing... We have the money ready to go so that part didn't make sense to us."

The community raised funds for the construction of the project, and the City of Kelowna and Mission Group committed additional contingency funding. Hutchinson said they've raised around $300,000 themselves. 

The project is estimated at close to $1 million, but a contractor agreed to complete construction at a fraction of the total cost. 

Foundation president and the father of one of the five men killed in the collapse, Chris Vilness, said he's in a bit of shock hearing the province denied funding. 

Vilness said the park is more than just a memorial for his son and the other men. "It's really a recognition to looking at safe work environments, safe culture. It's a lot more than just a park." 

Construction on the memorial at Knowles Heritage Park is expected to start the first week of February. 

The crane collapse took the lives of Cailen Vilness, Jared Zook, Eric Stemmer, Patrick Stemmer, and Brad Zawislak.