Kingston, Ontario. is a city full of Remembrance Day symbols – Kingston | The Canadian News

With Remembrance Day just a day away, Kingston continues to have a reputation as a city filled with symbols to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Whether it’s the Royal Military College’s Memorial Arch or the Kingston City Hall’s Memorial Hall and its stained glass windows, those symbols are everywhere.

“I think symbols remind people in a very, very easy way … and we go back to that word, ‘remember,'” said Peter Gower, a local historian and author.

Another historical symbol is the 21st Battalion monument located in City Park that was erected 90 years ago.

“I have no idea who the sculptor was and, in all honesty, I also have no idea what the intention of the statue is,” Gower said.

“Did they just shoot him? Are you raising your hands in ‘hooray’ for the armistice? No idea, no idea at all.

“There is no other like it in Canada. There are a series of books that analyze all the commemorative monuments of the country and this one is chosen as unique “.

The Memorial Wall at the Kingston Memorial Center is actually one of the most recent recognitions of lives lost.

“There were originally 1,022 and I think about 18 have been added, so we’re close to 1,040,” Gower said.

That includes both men and women who died serving their country from the Boar War to the war in Afghanistan.

“It is a monument that you can go directly to, you can touch. We will find people particularly at this time of year looking at it, looking for names, perhaps looking for their last names or a family member in many cases – touching, tracing the engraving, putting poppies near the names, ”Gower said.