REMEMBERING OUR VETERANS
Local landmarks honour soldiers
Calgarians planning to honour the courage of those who died serving our country will have several Remembrance Day services to choose from Nov. 11. And they may not even need a coat.
Balmy temperatures are expected to continue into Friday, with a mix of sun and cloud and an unseasonably warm high of 15 C.
Some of the more popular scheduled events are as follows:
The Field of Crosses Memorial Project will hold its annual family-friendly service encompassing musical performances and the traditional laying of wreaths. Ceremonies begin at 10:20 a.m. along Memorial Drive N.W. west of the Centre Street Bridge. Since 2009, the project has honoured the thousands of southern Alberta men and women killed while serving in the Canadian military in combat or peacekeeping missions. The number of crosses, now at 4,000, has increased each year as research identifies more names.
The Calgary Highlanders will host their iconic ceremony at Central Memorial Park. The historic downtown green space features a cenotaph, the soldier’s statue erected in front of the Memorial Park Library to honour the soldiers who fought in the First World War. The equestrian statue erected on the site is a tribute to all Albertans who fought in the Second Boer War. Ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m. at 1221 2nd St. S.W.
The Military Museums along Crowchild Trail will welcome a host of dignitaries at their service Friday, including Silver Cross Mothers and members of the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Canadian Army. Ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m. and will include historical presentations, hymns, two minutes of silence and a laying of wreaths. After the service, the museums will be open offering free admission.
The King’s Own Calgary Regiment will host a service at 10:30 a.m. at Battalion Park with a public address and a wreath laying. The unique site is located along Signal Hill, overlooking Tsuut’ina Nation in an area once used as a military reserve and training site for First World War soldiers. The site also contains four “geoglyphs” or large stones representing battalions numbered 137, 113, 151 and 51.
YYC Calgary International Airport travellers and employees who wish to pause and remember those who have served can take part in a ceremony starting at 10:30 a.m. The Calgary International Airport Pipe Band and Honour Guard will form up in Concourse A — Departures Level, followed by a procession including uniformed representatives from the Calgary Police Service, Royal Air Force and the British Army.
Arrive as early as 9:30 a.m. for the annual Remembrance Day service at the Jubilee Auditorium. Ceremonies begin at 10:30 a.m. with priority seating for veterans and other special guests. Wreaths will be laid by military and civic groups. With warm weather expected, a march past is also planned outdoors at the west side of the auditorium.