A park in Brampton’s east end could be the site of a memorial commemorating the infamous Komagata Maru incident of 1914, where the government of the day turned away more than 300 Indians seeking entry into Canada.

The city’s planning committee has endorsed a proposal brought forward by Ward 9 and 10 councillor Gurpreet Dhillon that zeroes in on three potential sites for a memorial or park naming recognizing an incident referred to as “a dark chapter in Canadian history.”

Castle Oaks Crossing, Gore Meadows Community Park and the site of a future library are being considered. Staff is also studying the potential for federal and provincial funding.

The Komagata Maru was a ship that arrived at the Port of Vancouver in May 1914. Nearly all of the 376 passengers were denied entry and the ship sat in the harbour for two months before it was eventually forced to return to India.

The Canadian government has apologized for the incident, and at least one Brampton resident says that that official recognition should be sufficient.

In a letter to planning committee members, resident George Startup argued that a number of plaques and memorials already exist in Vancouver. He invites city leaders to “do their homework” before making a decision.

“How many more apologies, park and memorial dedications must we make (to the Komagata Maru incidents)?” asks Startup, arguing for monuments that are specific to Brampton. He also writes that members of the Sikh and South Asian communities should try to "move on" from the incident.

Dhillon says the recognition is important step to building unity within the community. Brampton is home to a significant South Asian community.

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially apologized for Canada’s role in this tragedy, and I’m proud that the City of Brampton will be paying tribute to our past and unifying us a community,” Dhillon said.

Staff is expected to come forward with a report to council in early 2017 that would give more details on construction and design, as well as offer more details on cost.