Listen Live
HomeNewsRemembrance Day ceremonies taking place in Parry Sound

Remembrance Day ceremonies taking place in Parry Sound

This Remembrance Day will see the much-awaited return of some regular services after a three-year hiatus. 

Vern Kennedy, with the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 117 says the branch has a full schedule starting right at 11 am on Friday.

“Will open with O’Canada and standard opening remarks, then the last post with a bugler then 2 minutes of silence with the bagpipes. We will be having a regular service that we haven’t had for three years. We have a number of people coming in and saying a few words, including our Mayor.  We also have one of our members who wrote a poem and is going to share it with everyone at the service on Friday,” he says.

Kennedy says following that, they will be laying all the wreaths, which the branch hasn’t done in a few years. “Apparently, a lot more people are coming in and laying wreaths for their relatives which is nice,” he adds.

- Advertisement -

In case of inclement weather, the service will be moved indoors at the Bobby Orr Community Centre. A luncheon will be held at the Parry Sound Legion following the ceremony.

Kennedy says this year will be different, “we will be saying God save the king instead of God save the queen,”

Captain David Coles, Commanding Officer of 295 MacPherson Royal Canadian Air Cadets in Parry Sound, says the young cadets will first be starting on the evening of Thursday, November 10th.

“The cadets will be doing a cenotaph vigil starting at 7 p.m. and going until about 11 depending on the weather,” he says. 

Coles says this is a tradition that goes way back where essentially the squadron is making sure that no cenotaph or stone is left alone at this time of the year.

“Naturally Remembrance Day is a time to reflect and pay tribute to those who have fallen during World War 1, World War 2, or any of the armed conflicts and we just simply don’t want to leave any of those gravestones unattended at that time,” Coles says. 

Symbolically, he says what the local squadron does is stand vigil at the cenotaph in Market Square Park. The next day, November 11th, he says the cadets will be back at 7 a.m. to continue that vigil until the Remembrance Day ceremony.

“All of the Cadets will be in the park for that and we’ll have four cadets on the cenotaph throughout the ceremony as well,” Coles says. 

Here are other Remembrance Day Services in the region; 

Carling Township: – Service starts at 10:45 a.m. inside the Carling Community Centre. (4 Carling Bay Road West) not at the Cenotaph.

Orrville: – November 11th starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Orrville Cenotaph (1231 Highway 518)

Rosseau: – November 11th beginning at 10:45 a.m. Outdoor service at Rosseau Memorial Hall.

Whitestone – Dunchurch: – 10:45 a.m. November 11th at Legion Branch 394 (Highway 124 at Balsam Road).

Magnetawan: – November 11th starting at 1:45 p.m. at the Magnetawan Cenotaph.

Pointe ay Baril: – November 11th starting at 10:30 a.m. at the George Cliffs Memorial Park Cemetary.

Mactier: – November 11th with form up at 10:45 a.m. Laying of the wreath ceremony, where troops from Base Borden will accompany a student or family member to lay the wreath. Light luncheon to follow.

Britt: – November 11th at 10:45 a.m. Starts with a parade from the Public School to the service at the Legion.

Rosseau: – November 11th at Rosseau Memorial Hall at 10:45 a.m.

Bala: – November 11th at the Bala Legion just prior to 11:00 a.m.

Burk’s Falls – November 11th service at the cenotaph at 11:00 a.m.

***With files from Kent Matheson

- Advertisment -
- Advertisment -
- Advertisement -

Continue Reading