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Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’

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Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’ Empty Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’

Post by Guest Sat 09 Sep 2017, 07:08

Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’ 1297989430561_ORIGINAL Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’ 1297989431324_ORIGINAL


Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’


Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’ 1297345879486_AUTHOR_PHOTO By Ray Spiteri, Niagara Falls Review
Friday, September 8, 2017 3:02:51 EDT PM


Cemetery project has been ‘emotional’ 1297989428953_ORIGINAL
A new raised crypt for the Unknown Soldier was installed at Fairview Cemetery in Niagara Falls on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 in preparation for a public re-interment ceremony scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. (RAY SPITERI/NIAGARA FALLS REVIEW/POSTMEDIA NEWS)

A new tomb for the Unknown Soldier was installed at Fairview Cemetery on Friday as officials prepare for next weekend’s official military funeral where he will be laid to rest in the raised crypt.

“It’s been a very emotional project — really quite overwhelming because things have come together so quickly,” said Mark Richardson, manager of cemetery services for the City of Niagara Falls, while watching the tomb being installed by Kirkpatrick Stoneworks, one of the many project partners.

“The design of this was only finalized I think in March, and to see so many different organizations come together and see this through has been amazing.”

A re-interment ceremony, which will be open to the public, is set for Sept. 16 at 10:30 a.m. at the cemetery, located at the corner of Stanley Avenue and Morrison Street.

It will also celebrate fallen soldiers as the large-scale restoration of the cemetery’s Fields of Honour is recognized.

Richardson said the procession will begin at the Stanley Avenue gates at 10:30 a.m., but he encourages those who want to attend to be at the cemetery no later than 10 a.m.

“The veterans and legionaires will all march through the cemetery — they will set up, and then shortly thereafter Morse and Son, with the horse and carriage, will actually bring the Unknown Soldier through the cemetery, follow the parade route, and they’ll end up here in front of the new tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” he said.

Richardson said a ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., which will include the end of the procession where the body of the Unknown Soldier will be carried to the new tomb.

The Unknown Soldier, who served with the 19th Lincoln Regiment during the First World War, was originally laid to rest in Section M of the Field of Honour, and his grave was simply identified with a small, flat marker.

After calls were received for a more prominent recognition, a larger memorial was designed in a new location with a raised crypt monument to serve as the new tomb, as well as a second memorial monument to be flanked by the Canadian and Union Jack flags.

The design of the new memorial also incorporates the planting of two Vimy oak trees, which were donated by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 479, adjacent to the tomb.

The new memorial and monument are being installed on one of the cemetery’s islands, which serves as a predominant, highly visible and central location.

In addition to the tomb and related memorial plaza, a new Field of Honour has been developed, including the restoration of nearly 200 veteran graves.

Old markers have been replaced by upright markers.

The initiatives have been made possible by the work of the city’s cemetery services department, in partnership with Royal Canadian Legion Branch 479 and 51; the British Canadian Veterans Association; the Lincoln and Welland Regiment Foundation; Kirkpatrick Stoneworks; Campbell Monument; Morse and Son Funeral Home; the Order of St. George; and Ground Aerial Maintenance.

The project cost about $400,000.

Richardson said at the outset of the project, those involved researched memorials for unknown soldiers around the world.

“If you compare this to Ottawa and Toronto and even Moscow was another one that we looked at, this is comparable. In fact, I would say in some ways this improves upon each of those,” he said.

“I think this really will be a memorial that invites people out, brings them into the cemetery, and really reminds people about vererans and the war dead, and the price that they paid. That’s something that has been very important to me. That’s why we did the restoration because each year, I know we have our Remembrance Day services and kids are learning about it, but I feel that we need to do more to remember those that have served before us.”

Diane Condon, a Royal Canadian Legion deputy district commander for the zone that covers 59 legions, including all legions in Niagara and beyond, said the restoration project was long overdue, and is “fabulous.”

“You couldn’t ask for a better group (of partners). We’ve had our discussions, obviously, but everybody’s in synch, and now we’re ready to go next Saturday. What they’ve done is just awesome, and very fitting. Not too many places honour their veterans, and especially having an Unknown Soldier like we do, quite to this extent. It’s going to be great.”

Carlyle Anderson and his father Bill, of Anderson’s Cemetery Contracting out of Stratford, said this restoration project was extensive.

“We’ve done larger Fields of Honour like this, but the extent of what we’re doing here is beyond anything we’ve done,” said Carlyle.

“Literally taking down and repairing 156 monuments all at once, in one section, is more than anything we’ve done before. This is a big, big project.”

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2017/09/08/cemetery-project-has-been-emotional

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