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August 08, 2007 09:48 AM
By: Joe Fantauzzi, Staff Writer
Newmarket's Ray Twinney Recreation Complex was the site of a large-scale operation yesterday as preparation continued for Const. Robert Plunkett's police funeral.
Scaffolding was raised by construction crews and hundreds of chairs were set up inside the building at 100 Eagle St. in anticipation of thousands attending the service, scheduled to begin at about 11 a.m.
If you plan to attend, you are allowed to stand on the lawn of the complex to hear an audio broadcast of the service. The public will not be allowed inside the complex during the service, police said.
The interment following the funeral is private.
At about 12:30 p.m., a parade, expected to draw 6,000 participants, including police officers from York, Toronto, Durham, Peel, OPP, RCMP and other law enforcement agencies, will begin.
Meanwhile, a trust fund designed to help the fallen officer's children into the future has been established.
The trust fund for Amanda, Jeffrey and Mathew Plunkett was set up by both York Regional Police and the York Regional Police Association. Donations can be made by calling 905-836-4998 or 1-877-242-8728 (toll-free), quoting account number 5004461 and transit number 63612-828.
Today's parade will travel from the Ray Twinney Complex east on Eagle to Yonge Street, then north on Yonge to Davis Drive.
Const. Plunkett, 43, died in the line of duty last Thursday while investigating the theft of airbags from cars in Markham.
Check back with yorkregion.com later today and our newspapers tomorrow for full coverage of Const. Plunkett's funeral.