July 13, 2023
The City of Edmonton’s Naming Committee is proud to announce the naming of two parks in our city to honour the leadership and community spirit of two highly respected Edmonton women: Karen Leibovici and Julie Rohr.
Julie Rohr
Julie Rohr was a well-loved member of the Laurier Heights community who worked hard to bring people together and create places where children were welcome. Although she died in September 2021, she is fondly remembered by her friends and community. Along with many other activities, Julie was a Neighbourhood Block Connector with the City’s Abundant Communities Edmonton initiative and a member of the Laurier Heights Community League. She arranged community events like Shakespeare in the Park and Pii Day.
Julie was actively involved in her son’s school and several fundraising efforts like the Nepal Children’s Fund and the Women’s Healing Project to support domestic violence survivors. Julie and her son Max collaborated to raise $13,000 from the sale of Max’s artwork to support a family with a mother and daughter both fighting cancer. She was actively involved in an initiative to bring a Syrian refugee family to Edmonton. In 2018, Julie became a public speaker on the subject of having a holistic, spiritually-informed way of living and facing death with courage and grace. She had an active social media account and prior to her passing received messages of support from Ryan Reynolds, Eugene and Dan Levy, Colin Mochrie, Chantal Kreviazuk and Peter Mansbridge.
“Julie, despite a terminal prognosis, lived an intentional, full life, and spread joy to those around her. She consistently demonstrated how to live a life of courage, volunteerism, equality, dedication to service, and resiliency. Julie’s approach to life inspired thousands, and she posthumously continues to inspire more,” said her husband David Schoor.
The Julie Rohr Park is located in Laurier Heights at 140 Street and 78 Avenue.
Karen Leibovici
Karen Leibovici is a four-term Edmonton City Councillor and former MLA for Edmonton Meadowlark who was born and raised in Montreal to immigrant parents. A social worker by training, Leibovici was instrumental in leading a variety of City of Edmonton initiatives including the Transforming Edmonton initiative, the Centre for Public Involvement, the Affordable Housing Strategy, the 10-year Plan to End Homelessness, among others. She was involved in the creation of the City Hall School and worked hard to promote the establishment of Big Island Provincial Park.
Leibovici was a strong advocate for the needs of her constituency in the former Wards 1 and 5. She fought to prevent the operation of a gravel pit along the North Saskatchewan River, and for the retention of natural areas in Edmonton. Leibovici was a President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and a Chair of the FCM Green Municipal Fund.
Through her years living in Edmonton, Leibovici has been involved in many nonprofit organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Concordia University and Events Edmonton. Just recently, she has served as the vice-chair of the Civilian Review and Complaint Commission for the RCMP and as a board member at Canada Energy Regulator.
“Karen Leibovici’s life and career have been motivated by a strong sense of social justice, the determination to do what is right and the heart to champion what needs to be done to build a better community,” said her son Adam Zepp, who nominated her for the park recognition. “She continues to look forward to serving and making Edmonton, Alberta and Canada a better place.”
Karen Leibovici Park is in the Edgemont Neighbourhood on the corner of East Gate NW and Edgemont Road NW
“I am thrilled to share the heartfelt stories behind naming these two parks. They pay tribute to two remarkable Edmonton women, Karen Leibovici and Julie Rohr, who touched the lives of countless individuals in our city,” said Erin McDonald, Chair of the Edmonton Naming Committee. ” These parks embody the essence of their incredible community spirit and remind us of the power of connection and generosity. We celebrate Karen and Julie's legacies through these dedicated spaces with great admiration and a sense of personal joy.”
