Pink and purple playground to pay tribute to Quinn Butt

A five-year-old alleged murder victim who died months before starting school will have a playground built in her memory, in her favourite colours, at the school she would have attended in September. 

• Mourners light it up for Quinn at massive, moving vigil in Harbour Grace
• Tragedy in Carbonear: Tributes pouring in for Quinn Butt

The pink and purple playground is the idea of Adam Stead, a father of two, who told the St. John's Morning Show Tuesday that he was moved when he heard about the death of Quinn Butt.

"I have a little girl, and looking at the pictures and reading the comments echoed what Quinn was, and it really struck home to me," Stead said. 

Quinn Butt's body was removed from her father's home in Carbonear in the early morning of Apr. 24 after a fire.

Trent Butt, 37, is charged with first-degree murder and arson.

"Originally, my thoughts were anger, as so many were, then to sadness, then to come to want to give back, to take some of the burden and pain that this poor woman and family are feeling," Stead told CBC

Playground memorial

Stead trains at Heavyweights Training Centre in Mount Pearl, which runs programs every 42 days that end with a fundraiser for various charities.

He proposed Quinn's Place, a playground in honour of Quinn Butt, as well a donation to the Iris Kirby House shelter.  

It really struck home to me.- Quinn's Place organizer Adam Stead

He said he spoke with Quinn's mother Andrea Gosse on Monday, who said she would like to have the playground at Paradise Elementary where Quinn would have started kindergarten in September.

"I contacted the school, and they were more than happy to accept that gift," Stead said. 

A Facebook group for Quinn's Place was set up and quickly surpassed Stead's expectations.

"I don't think anybody realized how big this would get. Originally, I had 40 members added to a group, this morning we're up to 3,900," he said.

Stead's original hope was to raise $5,000, but he now hopes to raise ten times that amount thanks to the incredible support of the community. 

"Every moment I look at my phone, I have a new text of people wanting to come on board. The support from the community really goes to show what Newfoundlanders and Labradorians really are," he said. 

'People have come together'

The playground is now being designed in Quinn's favourite colours — pink and purple — and Stead said the response from companies looking to help has been overwhelming. 

Several playground equipment manufacturers have offered to sell the equipment for less than cost, several shipping companies have contacted Stead about transporting the equipment, and numerous contractors volunteered to build the playground.

"It feels great, no doubt about it. Like I keep saying in our Facebook group, together we are strong, and that's exactly how I feel," he said. 

"As a group, and how people have come together, that's what's happening here."

A fundraiser will be held on May 28 to celebrate Quinn's life and raise money to build the playground. More information about the fundraiser is available on the Quinn's Place Facebook group.