Burleigh safety campaign by parents Chris and Sonia Duce after losing their son Cameron Duce
Cameron Duce was 22 when he died after an alleged coward punch at Burleigh in September last year. Now his parents have launched a brave campaign to improve safety
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Cameron Duce was 22 when he died after an alleged coward punch at Burleigh in September last year. City leaders are grappling with creating a memorial.
The courageous campaigning by Cam’s parents, Chris and Sonia, has put politicians on notice to improve safety in the once relaxed coastal village.
Their petition, signed by 320 people, forced council to undertake a safety audit which will see more CCTV cameras.
What became apparent this week was Cam’s real legacy - he would want to cast light, not darkness on a place he loved.
His good life was lost, as young Burleigh’s has got older.
The crowded village due to a lack of policing, failure of safety measures and several venues operating into the early hours, lost its innocence.
Some of the innocents who love its charm, mostly young teenagers, are being lost to us.
Chris and Sonia were invited into Evandale Chambers on Tuesday where a statement from them was read out on their behalf by their area councillor Josh Martin.
It was a rare moment, where the real world kicked inside official meeting walls, and we all witnessed the rawness for families forever broken by the loss of a child.
The family want Cam to be remembered for his “humour, warmth, joy and empathy”.
“Cameron loved Burleigh. It was his favourite place. Whether riding their bikes or going out with his mates, just hanging out walking his dog or running with his sisters along the Oceanway, Cameron loved being at Burleigh,” his parents wrote.
“And Cam was everything that Burleigh is. Beautiful at heart, easy to be around, accepting of everyone as they are, and always lifting the spirits of those who were fortunate enough to experience the presence.”
Talk to this quiet Nerang family and you will discover their son during his senior years at Merrimac High School worked part time at Office Works.
He graduated and found himself most of the way through an apprenticeship at Creation Floors as a hard wood floorer, where he got to love the job.
The City officer’s recommendation, given council’s protocol of long recognising older Gold Coasters for memorial, is to plant a tree.
Mr Martin acknowledges it is a “meaningful gesture” but is lobbying for something more.
“It would not only honour a young life, tragically cut short, but also serve a wider public benefit by raising awareness and promoting safety in this nightlife precinct,” he said.
Outside the chamber, Chris told your columnist: “We appreciate the offer of a tree. But for us we feel we’d like something more permanent. It’s not for us. It’s not about Cam specifically.
“It’s about raising an ongoing awareness by memorialising Cam. We want it to be a positive message about safety for Burleigh for the future.”
On March 20, Cam would have celebrated his 23rd birthday. Instead, his parents hope to plant a tree. They are planning a helluva concert.
This family does not want to read the same news story about another. We can all dig in here.
* Go to www.cammyduce.com to find out details on Concert for Cam.
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Originally published as Burleigh safety campaign by parents Chris and Sonia Duce after losing their son Cameron Duce
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