<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tens of thousands of people are backing a petition to rename Bondi Park Playground after the youngest victim of the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/bondi-shooting" rel="" target="_blank" title="December 14 terror attack"><span>December 14 terror attack</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Matilda, nicknamed Matilda Bee, 10, had been with her family for the Chanukah by the Sea celebration that day. She had her face painted, petted farm animals, and played with her sister.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But after two gunmen, alleged to be father and son Said and Naveed Akram, opened fire on the gathered crowd, Matilda was among 15 people killed.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/brain-tumour-vaccine-trial-for-children-in-australia/0c929d47-a04b-476a-8da2-e0615483b0fd" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Aussie vaccine trial offers 'glimmer of hope' for kids with brain tumours</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her parents, Michael and Valentyna, emigrated to Australia from Ukraine, and named her Matilda as she was their first child born down under.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sydney man Jordan Vic, 24, himself the son of an immigrant, now wants to see that name immortalised.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He told 9news.com.au the inspiration for his </span><a href="https://www.change.org/p/rename-bondi-park-playground-to-matilda-bee-playground-in-matildas-honour/feed" rel="" target="_blank" title="Change.org petition to rename the playground after Matilda"><span>Change.org petition to rename the playground after Matilda</span></a><span> came from an online comment from somebody else in the community.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/matila-bee-playground-proposal-memorial-for-bondi-beach-terror-attack/71e9e655-bc55-423c-b744-47cc9745d139" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/tropical-cyclone-possible-forecast-off-pilbara-coast-western-australia/415f9f87-4a0f-4f17-883a-4635fd2e56c5" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Flood warnings across multiple states amid new cyclone fears</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A comment can only gain so much traction, though, so I decided to make a petition," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>At first, he only circulated it among family and friends, asking them to pass it on. He posted it in a few places online, and before he knew it, the signing rate was shooting up.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You always want it to get big, but you never expect it to," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/chris-minns-new-anti-hate-initiatives-closure-of-prayer-halls-expand-racial-incitement-to-schools/d7a1663d-3b31-4781-805a-58ed395f622d" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Hate speech law to expand into schools, teachers, Minns says</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's so much out there, I thought it might fall through the cracks."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One major boost, he said, came from the involvement of Matilda's family, with both her parents posting on the page.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What a beautiful idea! Matilda was the only child whose life was taken during that attack… she deserves to be remembered," Valentyna wrote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Michael thanked the signatories and called it a "terrific idea".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The one thing about Russians is, we always have each other's backs," Vic said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He attended many of the funerals in the community in the aftermath of the shooting, and said it had been amazing to see how many showed up to grieve and mourn alongside family and friends.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We all know each other," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>For Matilda's memorial, Vic envisions an official name change - including on Google Maps - a plaque dedicated to Matilda, and a memorial space just outside the park itself, so kids can continue to play there.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His plan is to take the petition before Waverley Council, which has a meeting on February 24 which will involve discussing memorial options for the area.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had originally aimed for 15,000 to 16,000 signatures - but already the petition has more than 20,900.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Still, Vic urged people to continue signing and sharing.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Any signature helps, because we need to immortalise those who were taken from us," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>