A legacy fund has been set up in honour of former Abbotsford parks and recreation general manager Mark Taylor, who died in a skiing accident in 2013.
The fund was started by Taylor’s family to help support a student who might otherwise not have the money to participate in an Outward Bound wilderness experience.
His family says that Taylor had the opportunity to take part in an Outward Bound expedition as a young man, and it had a “huge and positive impact” on this life.
“When Mark became a parent, although it was a challenge financially, he was determined to see that both of his children had the same opportunity to participate in one of Outward Bound’s life-empowering experiences,” they said.
The fund has so far raised more than $4,600.
Taylor was on a five-day excursion with two others, including his daughter, on March 12, 2013 on the Wapta Traverse – located northeast of Golden on the B.C.-Alberta border – when they were caught in a blizzard, and he fell down a crevasse.
His companions survived by building a snow cave. Taylor’s body was recovered one week later by search and rescue crews.
Taylor, a Langley resident, had been with the city of Abbotsford for 12 years, spearheading projects and events that included the city hosting the 2004 BC Summer Games and the 2006 BC Senior Games.
Earlier in 2013, he was an integral part of the bid that landed Abbotsford the 2016 BC Summer Games, running this July.
For more information about the legacy fund or to make a donation, visit www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/mark-taylor-legacy-fund.
Outward Bound is a non-profit organization that aims to foster the personal growth and social skills of participants by using challenging outdoor expeditions.