More than 3,000 white crosses will soon return to a park in northwest Calgary in honour of local fallen soldiers.
On Saturday, dozens of volunteers began cleaning the crosses that will make up this year’s Field of Crosses memorial project, which will be on display starting Nov. 1.
The Field of Crosses memorial project, a tradition in Calgary since 2009, was started by philanthropist and businessman Murray McCann following a trip south of the border.
“Murray saw it down in Rome, Georgia,” said George Brookman, Field of Crosses director. Brookman explained how McCann learned that little crosses had been erected to remember people from the town who had died in action. Brookman said That led McCann to declare: “We can do something like this in Calgary.”
This year’s display will see 3,602 total crosses, or 100 more than last year’s display, with each in honour of men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice while defending our country.
This year’s Eleven Days of Remembrance ceremonies will include daily tribute themes including:
- Nov. 1 – Royal Canadian Air Force Day
- Nov. 2 – Youth Day
- Nov. 3 – Memorial Cross Families Day
- Nov. 4 – Royal Canadian Navy Day
- Nov. 5 – Canadian Army Day
- Nov. 6 – Honouring Women of War
- Nov. 7 – First Responders Day
- Nov. 8 – Indigenous Veterans Day
- Nov. 9 – USA Tribute (Sunrise) / Honouring Jewish Fallen (Sunset)
- Nov. 10 – UN Peacekeeper (Sunrise) / Night of Lights (Sunset)
- Nov. 11 – Remembrance Day Ceremony
Crosses will be installed along Memorial Drive at the end of October and will be open to the public from Nov. 1 through to Remembrance Day.