(L-R) Mark Osborne, Doug Giebelhaus, Garry Barnum, Johanna Osborne and Jade Tyndall work to compile the near-endless amount of amazing memories people hold about Flying Phil St. Luke. (Johanna Osborne)

By Alex Rawnsley

local legend

‘We’ve just scratched the surface:’ Parksville filmmaker capturing ‘Flying Phil’ memories

Feb 24, 2025 | 4:19 PM

PARKSVILLE — While its final form is still yet to be determine, work is underway to preserve the legacy of a local legend.

Following his passing in early 2023, community groups have worked to create a tribute to ‘Flying’ Phil St. Luke, recognizing his tireless love of Parksville and those who called the city home.

Two days of interviews earlier this month began the long and arduous task for filmmaker Johanne Osborne to capture people’s stories and memories of Flying Phil, centred around his impacts on their lives and the Parksville community.

“It was just really neat to meet with other people who were really passionate about Phil and his life, and making sure that future generations knew who he was. Because Phil was like a celebrity around here, just everybody knew who he was, and were really touched by his presence.”

The idea of a video documentary about Phil pre-dates his death.

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Work was somewhat underway before the pandemic to capture stories and memories, then assemble into some sort of feature presentation.

Phil’s passing on Jan. 13, 2023 after a battle with illness expedited those plans, according to Osborne.

“We realized we just really needed to start recording the stories before it was too late, or before people forgot or moved on or passed on. How about we just take a couple of days and we’ll just start recording and see who comes out.”

Each of the 15 participants posed for Phil’s signature double-thumbs-up during interviews earlier in February. (Johanna Osborne)

Osborne said there were many overlapping threads between the 15 people who came out over the Feb. 15-16 weekend.

Many shared stories about growing up in Parksville and knowing Phil, before moving away. Upon returning with their families, they were excited to introduce Phil to children or relatives.

“Even people recounting their first time meeting Phil and for a lot of people they had just arrived in town,” Osborne told NanaimoNewsNOW. “They didn’t know anybody, and Phil was the first person that welcomed them in, and he was like the ambassador – their first impression of the town.”

Osborne added the interviews could form the backbone of a feature documentary, combining the responses with footage from Phil’s life and contributions to Parksville.

Several other ideas are also being considered from creatives, musicians and those who knew Phil.

The next step for Osborne though, will be a second round of filming to accommodate those who weren’t able to attend this time.

“I feel like we’ve just scratched the surface, I mean we had 15 people that came out, and there’s so many more people out there that have stories. Even just talking to friends, they start telling us and we’re like ‘okay, hold those stories, we want the camera to be rolling!’”

The concept of a statue in Phil’s likeness was abandoned after overwhelming community feedback.

A series of ideas are also being considered including a dedication of the Parksville Boardwalk in Phil’s name, a mural series or a memorial bench.

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