Derek Point and Memorial Garden
Derek Point & Memorial Garden was built by International Marine Group in Port Colborne in 2002-03 and dedicated to the memory of Derek Kirk Zavitz.
Derek was a young man, 18 years of age, when he met his tragic end, during an accident aboard ship near Ausralia in 1996. Derek was a very accomplished fellow & active in many sports locally. He developed a love of the sea & was sailing around the world when lost at sea.
Derek Point was transformed from an old industrial site, to the beautiful park it is today & one of the best vantage points for ship watching on the Great Lakes. Each year, IMS staff hold a company bar-b-que and park clean-up at Derek Point. We also plant new flowers and at least one tree each year. Derek "Point" is located at the point in Port Colborne where the old Welland Ship Canal, meets the newest Welland Canal. Vessels pass within 50 feet of the point, both upbound and downbound in the canal.
The park is decorated with various ships' equipment including bollards, masts, anchor winch, wheelhouse brow, as well as a section of deck, made from 3 vessels in which Derek sailed as a summer student. The Port Colborne fairlead, bulworks and deck plate, was removed from s/s Cedarglen, s/s Willowglen & s/s Beechglen respectively. There are benches and picnic tables for public use and the Niagara bicycle riding trail winds through the park as well. All signs and structures are made from pieces of recycled ships.