Permanent installations in Kitchener and Waterloo to honour veterans year-round

Canadian soldiers should be honoured all year long, not just on Remembrance Day. CTV’s Jeff Pickel has two new projects paving the way.

A new crosswalk in the City of Kitchener will pay homage to the brave people who have served their country.

A red and white commemorative veterans’ crosswalk was unveiled on Monday at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium just in time for Remembrance Day. It features the silhouette of a soldier and the words ‘Lest We Forget.’

“The crosswalk, really is an opportunity for pedestrians, cyclists, those who drive by or walk by to remember the sacrifices that have been made by our veterans and ensuring those sacrifices are never forgotten,” Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said.

The crosswalk is located at East Avenue and Borden Avenue North.

The city said the installation was possible thanks to support from The Royal Highland Fusiliers of Canada Regimental Trust, Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc. and the 78th Fraser Highlanders – Fort Conestoga Garrison. The city said both the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 50 and Royal Canadian Legion Polish Veterans’ Branch 412 were also instrumental to the project.

“It’s very important that we honor our veterans, and this is an excellent way of doing it and putting it out there for everyone to see,” Peter Delaney, from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 50, said.

It also forces people to think about the sacrifices made for our country.

“When the people cross over, and I would say particularly some of the younger people and perhaps the school children, it’ll be introducing and reinforcing and saying, ‘What’s this all about?’”

On Monday, veterans strode across the newly-applied tribute, accompanied by a bagpiper, while the Canadian and Kitchener flags flew proudly overhead.

Similar crosswalks have also been installed in neighbouring communities, including Brantford, Guelph, Stoney Creek and Waterdown.

Meanwhile, in Waterloo, the Clay and Glass Gallery has its own unique way of promoting remembrance year-round, with it’s “Garden of Poppies” installation.

It features hundreds of magnetized clay poppies on display at Waterloo City Hall on Regina Street.

“There’s nothing fancy about the concept, you mold these things out of clay,” John Short, co-curator of the exhibition, said. “It couldn’t be a more forthright, honest appreciation of the poppy and what the poppy means.”

Short said part of the inspiration came from a very personal association with remembrance,

“My grandfather fought through the First World War in the trenches and survived to tell his story in daily diaries, and my father was killed in the Second World War in a Lancaster [plane] over Germany. So that means a lot, and obviously that really makes an impact on our family,” Short explained.

The clay poppies are meant to be taken home by visitors who can make a donation to the Royal Canadian Legion.

“This is something that somebody will take away and put somewhere in their home, and hopefully that then becomes a cause for them to think about remembrance,” said Short.