East-end parkette renamed after woman killed by stray bullet

A Toronto parkette has been renamed in honour of a woman killed by a stray bullet in the city's east end last summer.

Caroline Huebner-Makurat, 44, had been walking in Leslieville in the area of Queen Street E. and Carlaw Avenue on July 7, when there was a physical altercation between three males, according to Toronto police. Two of them pulled out handguns and exchanged gunfire.

Huebner-Makurat was hit by a stray bullet and died in hospital. The altercation took place near a supervised consumption site where residents say they had been raising concerns about safety in the neighbourhood for months ahead of the incident.

On Saturday, Tiverton Parkette, near Dundas Street E. and Logan Avenue, was officially renamed Caroline Huebner Parkette.

Community members, friends and family of Huebner-Makurat and politicians gathered on Saturday to celebrate the renaming of the public parkette.

Toronto police have charged two men in connection with the death of Caroline Huebner-Makurat, a 44-year-old mother of 2, who died after she was struck by a stray bullet. (Submitted by Adrian Makurat)

Coun. Paula Fletcher, who represents Toronto Danforth, said Huebner-Makurat had a hand in helping revitalize the space several years ago, and spent a lot of time there with her kids.

"It's very apropos that this very sweet spot in the middle of Leslieville is named after this wonderful woman," Fletcher told CBC Toronto.

"This will be a place where everybody can remember [Huebner-Makurat] from this community."

Following her death, more than 570 people in the east-end community signed a petition to rename the parkette in honour of Huebner-Makurat. Last month, city council adopted a motion in support of the name change.

Two men have since been charged in connection with Huebner-Makurat's death.