Exhibit brings Honour System to citizens
It’s An Honour display at Lift Lock until Sunday
It’s not every day you get to hold a medal awarded to real-life heroes, or see memorabilia that will forever be a part of Canada’s hockey lore.
But the It’s An Honour travelling exhibit, which celebrates our country’s honour system, is doing just that for the weekend at the Peterborough Lift Lock.
The interactive display is set up in a 1,000-square-foot trailer open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday. It highlights Canada’s national honours, celebrates award recipients and talks about the roles and responsibilities of the Governor General.
“I’ve never seen a Victoria Cross before,” said Amanda Pullan, who checked out the exhibit late Thursday morning while enjoying a lockside picnic with her family.
Ben Denhoed liked the handson aspect of the offering, especially that his son Joseph, 4, could use the interactive screens. They, too took in the exhibit before enjoying a picnic.
“I think it’s neat that it’s free. It helps us know more about our great country that we enjoy so much and greatly appreciate,” he said.
It’s An Honour features multimedia pieces, memorabilia, and interpretative panels as well as medals and insignia. Visitors will also have the chance to learn more about the Canadians who have received awards, and why they were honoured.
Along with celebrating Canada’s national honours and recipients, the exhibit also gives people an opportunity to see what medals are awarded through a nomination process, so they can nominate deserving individuals in their own communities.
Exhibit visitors can also check out Diamond Jubilee recipient Sidney Crosby’s hockey jersey from the 2013 playoffs and watch a hologram message from former Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Peterborough marks the end of a two-year journey for the exhibit. Not everyone is familiar with the system, so it offers intrigue, said tour manager François Grenier.
“It always targets their curiosity,” he said. “There is a little bit of something for everyone.”
Grenier thanked everyone who has made the tour a success, including those who have even helped out when the tour has broken down roadside.
They, too, helped bring the nation’s capital to the citizens.
“We wanted to take the Honour System to the people, and we did,” he said.
NOTE: For more information, visit www.gg.ca, call 1-800-4656890, email HonoursExhibit@gg.ca or check out /HonoursExhibit on Facebook and Twitter.