This year, the City of Barrie, Ont., will be commemorating Remembrance Day through a flag-raising in addition to a virtual ceremony.
On Thursday, city officials and staff with the Royal Canadian Legion Barrie branch raised the poppy flag in the courtyard of city hall to mark the beginning of Veteran’s Week.
To protect the health of local veterans and community members amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there won’t be a public, in-person ceremony at the Memorial Square Cenotaph this year. Instead, the local Legion will host a private ceremony during the morning of Nov. 11. The public is invited to watch it virtually.
Those who want to lay a wreath at the Memorial Square Cenotaph are asked to make arrangements in advance with the Legion.
Wreaths can be dropped off at the Legion Hall between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Nov. 10 or before 9 a.m. on Nov. 11. After the virtual ceremony, the wreaths will be placed at the Cenotaph.
Moreover, the private ceremony at the Barrie Legion will begin at 10:45 a.m. on Nov. 11. Members of the public can visit the City of Barrie’s Remembrance Day website for links to watch the ceremony.
The city will also commemorate Barrie’s fallen soldiers by featuring pictures of local veterans on flags displayed throughout Meridian Place and around the entire waterfront to Tiffin Street.
This year, 13 new flags were added to the series, including one of Chief and Sgt. Major Francis Pegahmagabow, who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Belgium and France for almost the entire duration of the First World War. His actions also earned him three decorations for bravery.
On Remembrance Day, veterans can also ride Barrie Transit free of charge with one companion, if they show something that identifies their veteran status.