It is a powerful and emotional tribute to those who served and died in support of peace.
Each November, an unassuming, green space along Calgary’s Memorial Drive is transformed into a field of simple white crosses adorned with the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives for Canada.
Known as the “Field of Crosses“, the visually stunning display of more than 3,500 crosses honouring fallen residents of southern Alberta returns for a 16th year.
Located north of the Bow River, on the west side of the Centre Street Bridge, it is a fitting place for such a tribute.
Memorial drive is itself lined with trees that were planted almost a century ago, in honour of those who sacrificed their lives for Canada during the Great War (WW1).
The Field of Crosses will host a flag raising and flag lowering ceremony at sunrise and sunset of each day between Nov. 1 and Nov. 11., culminating with a special Remembrance Day service attended by thousands of Calgarians, members of the military, their friends, relatives and families of the fallen.
It has been a Calgary tradition since Nov. 2009, when local businessman and philanthropist, Murray McCann, founded and helped organize the first Field of Crosses and 10 days of Remembrance.
The event is now a registered charity, supported by public donations.
The daily tributes of this year’s ceremonies will include:
Nov. 1 – Royal Canadian Airforce Day
Nov. 2 – Youth Day
Nov. 3 – Memorial Cross Families Day
Nov. 4 – Royal Canadian Navy Day
Nov. 5 – Canadian Army Day
Nov. 6 – Honouring Women of War Day (sunrise) / Honouring Jewish Fallen (sunset)
Nov. 7 – First Responders Day
Nov. 8 – Indigenous Veterans Day
Nov. 9 – USA Tribute (sunrise) / Animals in War (sunset)
Nov. 10 – UN Peacekeeper (sunrise) / Night of Lights Celebrating Peace (sunset)
Nov. 11 – Special Remembrance Day Ceremony
Former long time Global Calgary News anchor Linda Olsen will be the Master of Ceremonies for the Field of Crosses Remembrance Day service this year.
For those unable to attend in-person, the Remembrance Day ceremony will also be broadcast live on Global Calgary hosted by anchor Joel Senick beginning Monday, Nov. 11 at 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m.
You can watch it online, YouTube, on Global TV and on the Global TV App.
Reflecting on the history of the Field of Crosses, McCann says it was created “after an epiphany I had in Menlo, Georgia just prior to memorial day in the USA.”
“I was driving in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia and turned into a historic hamlet named Menlo and along one side of the road were crosses each bearing the name and other information of a man or woman who had sacrificed their life for their country in foreign wars.”
“The impact of so many crosses for so many people from this small area who had made the ultimate sacrifice so that their fellow person could live free overwhelmed me and caused me to pull off to the side of the road and sob uncontrollably in thankful appreciation.”
“How many from Southern Alberta, I wondered, had sacrificed their lives so that I and my fellow Albertans could live and prosper in freedom,” wondered McCann.
When he returned to Calgary, he contacted a friend who worked for the Royal Canadian Legion.
In November 2009, and “with great cooperation from the Canadian Army Veterans, volunteers and the City of Calgary, we had our first Field of Crosses and 11 days of Remembrance.”
McCann says this year, in partnership with Valour Canada, organizers will also “host over 2,000 students in a program at the Field of Crosses designed to teach them of the wars Canadians fought in and the horrific price that was paid by so many to keep our country free.”
McCann says he is so very pleased that so many families have attended the services since then and strolled through the Field of Crosses to pay their respects.
“We must never forget. We will never forget,” says McCann.
“Each day that passes we move further away from the wars our country fought in, the heroes pass, time pushes on, the present gets in the way of the past.”
“The Field of Crosses is very important,’ adds McCann.
“It is incumbent on all of us to make sure the legacy of our nations fallen is passed on from our generation to the next and then on to all generations beyond.”