First stone at war monument to be placed Tuesday

The first stone for a monument to commemorate First World War military units from Medicine Hat will be laid in a ceremony on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

The monument on the slope above Third Street N.W., next to the Trans-Canada Highway, will honour the Third Canadian Mounted Rifles and the 175th Infantry Battalion. They were major military units raised in Medicine Hat to support Canada’s efforts in the First World War.

Mayor Ted Clugston will lay the first stone on Tuesday followed by other supporters of the project, said Scott Payne, Project 175 committee chair, from The Royal United Services Institute of Medicine Hat.

The public are welcome to attend the first stone ceremony on Tuesday and to participate in the construction of the monument in the next few weeks.

Parking is at the Dream Centre along the south fence at the top of Saamis Drive. The walking trail leads to the Monument site.

Some of the materials that will be used in constructing the monument are highly symbolic, incluing reclaimed bricks from the IXL Brick plant in Redcliff. Many of the men from here who enlisted to serve in the First World War would have worked at the brick plant in Redcliff, said Payne.

The monument is similar in style to those constructed a century ago at Signal Hill in Calgary by soldiers who were training in preparation for serving in Europe.

Once the monument is complete there will be park benches and appropriate plaques above the monument on Saamis Drive for people to read, said Payne. The monument will be illuminated at night with LED lights.

Anyone who would like to help to construct the monument can call Payne at 403-8780790 or send an email to: 175volunteers@gmail.com

There are a range of opportunities to become involved, even if you do not want to do anything physically challenging, said Payne.