It’s not exactly a proper burial, but for Conrad the raccoon, this will have to do.
Heritage ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ installed a plaque last week to mark the spot where Conrad — one of the tens of thousands of raccoons who stalk the streets, pillage green bins and chitter from trees across the city — died in July 2015.
The Heritage ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ plaque honouring Conrad the racoon, at the southeast corner of Yonge and Church streets.
Jake Edmiston/ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ Star
His death 10 years ago prompted an impromptu memorial, complete with roses, “get well†cards, candles and a donation box on the city sidewalk. His body remained outside 819 Yonge Street for 14 hours, despite calls to animal services, and the viral reaction made headlines around the world.
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To celebrate the 10th anniversary earlier this month, Heritage ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ — a city agency that runs one of the most active plaque programs in the world — put up a plaque near Yonge and Church streets to mark the spot. It includes a QR code, allowing visitors to pay their respects in an online form.
“Godspeed, dear Conrad,†one user, Christian Fletcher, wrote last week, “to that giant dumpster in the sky.â€
“Hope you’re enjoying the full and unlocked trash cans up there,†Mira N said.
“RIP to the greatest trash panda ever to do it,†Randy Jordan shared.
Chris Bateman, who runs Heritage ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s plaques program, said more than 150 people have scanned the code so far.
To place the plaque, Bateman carefully analyzed photos from the day of Conrad’s death to determine exactly where he died. He used garbage cans and storefronts as hints, and hopes people stop to read the plaque when they see it.
“I hope they come away with a bit more appreciation for raccoons,†Bateman said, “and how we’ve developed this symbiotic relationship with them as city dwellers.â€
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It is yet another shrine to Conrad, the most famous raccoon in a city full of them. Last year, on the ninth anniversary of his death, Conrad was honoured with a memorial, eulogy and moment of silence. In 2023, a statue of Conrad was . Way back in 2015, Conrad’s belly-up, paws-in-the-air final resting pose was .
More than anything else, Bateman hopes Conrad’s legacy endures.
“I hope people will remember Conrad fondly.â€
Mark Colley is a ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½-based general assignment reporter for
the Star. Reach him via email: mcolley@thestar.ca
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