Laval’s new war cenotaph honours Canada’s fallen veterans A collaborative effort between branches of Legion
Published June 2, 2010 By Martin C. Barry • NEWSFIRST
Photo: Martin C. Barry
The new cenotaph is unveiled last Sunday by monument designer Jeff Leblanc
(far left) with officials from the City of Laval, the
Royal Canadian Legion and the
Canadian Armed Forces.
A new monument was unveiled outside Laval city hall last Sunday for veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces who were involved in the two World Wars, the Korean War, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and in peacekeeping operations.
Veterans from Laval of World War II and the Korean War took part in last Sunday’s unveiling
Soldiers with the Royal 22nd Regiment stand on Souvenir Boulevard during a ceremony for the unveiling of a new cenotaph for war veterans
Former Laval resident Kevin Gillan who now lives in St. Marys, Ontario helped design the new cenotaph.
Old stone relocated
Designed by Jeff Leblanc, a stone cutter from St. Marys in Ontario, the new cenotaph replaces one that was previously on the same site. It has been moved to the Royal 22nd Regiment 4th batallion’s garrison, which is located in Laval.
The ceremony was attended by more than a half-dozen local elected officials, including Laval city councillor Denis Robillard, Bloc Québécois MP for Laval Nicole Demers, Chomedey Liberal MP Guy Ouellette, Royal Canadian Legion vice-president Paulette Cook and Lieutenant Colonel Luis de Sousa, commander of the Royal 22nd Regiment’s 4th batallion which is stationed in Laval.
Veterans from Laval of World War II and the Korean War took part in last Sunday’s unveiling
Soldiers with the Royal 22nd Regiment stand on Souvenir Boulevard during a ceremony for the unveiling of a new cenotaph for war veterans
Former Laval resident Kevin Gillan who now lives in St. Marys, Ontario helped design the new cenotaph.
Legion collaboration
The new monument was the result of an inter-provincial collaboration between the Legion branch in Chomedey and St. Marys in Ontario. Kevin Gillan, a former Laval resident who now lives in St. Marys, played an instrumental role in designing it. He travelled from his home more than seven hours west of Montreal to be able to attend the unveiling.
Gillan helped create the layout for the cenotaph, which Leblanc put together. Gillan also helped write much of what is inscribed on the monument. “It was a group effort by people from St. Marys and people from here,” he said. “We all tried to work together on behalf of all veterans.”
