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Small Remembrance Day ceremony held at refurbished Saskatoon cenotaph

WATCH: Members from the Saskatoon Downtown Canadian Progress Club decided to host their own ceremony outside of city hall in front of the cenotaph, which was refurbished this year – Nov 11, 2021

The annual Remembrance Day ceremony at SaskTel Centre was canceled this year and, instead, a walk-through display was set up.

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Members from the Saskatoon Downtown Canadian Progress Club decided to host their own ceremony outside of City Hall in front of the cenotaph, which was refurbished this year.

A few dozen people gathered to remember.

One organizer of the service and member of the progress club, Brent Marjerison, wanted to reflect on the day and his father’s time as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy.

During opening remarks, Marjerison said, “I still wanted to get a wreath on behalf of our club and do something on a very special reflective day.”

He read the poem, In Flanders Fields, followed by two minutes of silence and the playing of The Last Post.

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At the centre of the ceremony was the recently refurbished granite cenotaph.

Built in 1929, it was once situated at the intersection of 21 St. and 2nd Ave. before finding a new home at City Hall in 1957.

Earlier this year, the City of Saskatoon realized it needed some work.

They noticed problems such as the steps dropping, tiles sliding and the ground around the monument eroding.

The $155,000 revamp was funded by a federal grant and Veteran Affairs Canada.

For those in attendance, it all added up to a meaningful ceremony.

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Retired Sergeant in the Canadian Army, Richard Leblanc, said he went to the ceremony to show others in service that they are not alone.

“To show our respects to those that have gone before us but also to show the brotherhood and sisterhood of those that are either still serving or are more recent veterans,” said Leblanc.

Poppies were added to the monument throughout the ceremony by attendees.

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