Our Cenotaph
A memorial built by neighbours, standing on ground gathered from the places where Canadians served.
Built by the community
Our Remembrance Day gathering began small. Attendance grew from about 100 people in 2010 to about 3,000 in 2015, and neighbours began to ask for a permanent place to remember.
After one of those ceremonies, a group of residents decided it was time to do something lasting. They formed the Greater Hammonds Plains and Lucasville Memorial Committee: Pam Lovelace, Lieutenant Commander Todd Brayman, Major Jason Samson, Reverend Randy Townsend, and Andy and Anita Pearce. Todd, a retired Royal Canadian Navy officer, led the design and oversaw construction, fundraising and contracting.
Funding came from Veterans Affairs Canada, local area rate funds and donations from neighbours. The cenotaph was dedicated on July 2, 2016, in front of more than 4,000 people, with a flypast by three Sea King helicopters.
What follows are some of the details behind the design, shared by Todd on a walk around the cenotaph. Many visitors never realize they are there.
Soil from where they served
Beneath the central stone sits a round cylinder holding soil and sand gathered from places that matter in Canada's military history. The idea was inspired by a scene in Saving Private Ryan, where a soldier gathers sand from a beach. Standing here, you are not only at a cenotaph, you are standing on the ground itself.
Vimy Ridge
Soil repatriated from the battlefield at Vimy Ridge, one of the defining battles in Canada's history.
Juno Beach
Sand drawn on June 6, 2014, the 70th anniversary of D-Day, by the director of the Juno Beach Centre.
RAF Station Perranporth
Taken from the beach below the wartime station, remembering the Battle of Britain and the Canadian pilots who flew from the UK.
Kapyong
Soil from the battlefield at Kapyong, one of the most famous Canadian battles of the Korean War, gathered on the anniversary of the battle.
Camp Julien
Soil gathered by a Canadian soldier outside the wire and sent home. Because it travelled through customs, it had to be heat treated before it could be placed.
Water from the Atlantic
Ocean water is part of the memorial too, remembering those who served at sea.
A circle of healing
At the heart of the cenotaph is a medicine pouch placed by the Acadia First Nation during a smudging ceremony. It was prepared by the daughter of a chief, and only she knows what it holds, following custom.
The pouch was not buried. It was set on the base, symbolizing the healing that is needed. The design is about 55 feet across, and seen from the air the layout forms a cross.
Three languages
"Lest we forget" appears in Mi'kmaq, French and English. Mi'kmaq had no existing phrase for "lest we forget", so one was created specifically for this cenotaph through community consultation. The four sides of the cenotaph carry the dedication date, "We Stand on Guard for Thee", excerpts from "In Flanders Fields" and "For the Fallen", and tributes from veterans' families. Much of the wording draws on the Veterans Affairs Canada website.
A dedication to families
Todd wrote a dedication to the families who stand behind those who serve. It is believed to be the only memorial in Canada with a dedication to families, not only to those in uniform. Todd comes from a family with generations of service, which shaped the idea.
Honouring every kind of service
The memorial aims to be as inclusive as possible. Five memorial boulders honour Victoria Cross recipients, the Merchant Navy and peacekeepers, among others, and more than 100 personal plaques are inscribed in the surrounding granite.
Lit through the night
The cenotaph is lit by solar power. Park visitors once found this area nearly pitch black at night, and the lighting was designed to make the park feel safer. The control equipment sits beneath the central stone, and the whole system was designed so it can later move from solar to grid power.
A flagpole from local firefighters
The flagpole was funded through local firefighters' 50/50 draws. It carries commercial-grade flags, the kind you would see in front of a government building, and extra flags are kept ready.
A natural amphitheatre
The hills around Uplands Park form a natural amphitheatre, which is part of why so many people can gather here and hear the ceremony. Every November 11th, the whole community fills it.
Help us expand the cenotaph
We are forming a society to raise funds for new stones of recognition. Tell us if you would like one.
Stones of Recognition The SocietyA quiet thank you
The flowers, shrubs and greenery around our cenotaph have been faithfully tended by Bloom Greenhouse of Hammonds Plains, without fanfare and without asking for recognition. We want them to know it has been noticed and deeply appreciated.
Visit Bloom Greenhouse →With thanks to Todd Brayman for sharing the stories behind the design.