Veterans Memorial Garden O’Canada Walkway set to honour past, present and fallen soldiers

“For example, it could be your great-grandpa, came home, he may have since passed but you want to remember and honour his service as a soldier, he would be on the veteran wall,” she explained.

“And if you have a friend who served in Bosnia, Afghanistan, or any of those hot spots that were killed in action, you will want to be on that particular wall of the walkway, and if you’re serving then you would want to put them on that wall.”

Charboneau says residents wanting to have a custom plaque in the walkway to honour their loved ones that served, can donate.

Donations of $50 will receive a certificate of gratitude as well as a plaque placed in the walkway, with donations of $100 also receiving a duplicate of the custom plaque for themselves.

Charboneau tells EverythingGP says this is their way of raising money for programming at the Veterans Memorial Garden.

“Every time someone donates $50 or $100 to us, it helps us further the research to make sure the big picture stories can be told and that we’re able to really defines those gardens and make sure our education can stay up to date, it’s all about the programming from here on in.”

Recently, Charboneau says they received a Travel Alberta Grant, which will see the O’Canada walkway covered in pergolas, which she adds is through a local supplier and a Canadian manufacturer, Toja Grid.

“Which is pergolas that interconnect with each other and have sun sails and shades for the side and different wall configurations we create, little fences we can create, that help us define our space better,” she added.

“These 10 by 10 pergolas are going to make the ideal place to have a 300-foot walkway. With the stories of all of the people who are connected to Arsene in our region.”

She hopes this new space will allow residents to have an opportunity to come together and support one another.

“We wanted to create the ultimate outdoor patio, a place where the community can come to take in little events, dinners, lunch and learns, things like that out of doors.”

Anyone hoping to place a plaque to thank a CF soldier, honour a veteran, or remember a fallen veteran in the O’ Canada walkway can pick their custom plaque on the veterans memorial garden website.

Supplied: Veterans Memorial Gardens & Interpretive Centre

by Abby Zieverink

Veterans Memorial Garden O’Canada Walkway set to honour past, present and fallen soldiers

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