Sweater weather has always been my favourite. As the leaves change colour and bring my dog joy on our walks, there is something contemplative about November in Oshawa. My mind wanders first to Memorial Park, located in Downtown Oshawa. I have frequented the park for Fiesta Week and other events that use the McLaughlin Bandshell, but this time of year makes me truly reflect on the rights that we have, the freedoms we yearn for, and everything in between.
I remember going to Camp X in Whitby for class trips to learn about the secret training sight. As an adult, it is harrowing to realize how much history has been all around me. Oshawa’s Memorial Park is part of that history. Located at 110 Simcoe Street South, it does precisely what the name implies: it gives locals and tourists a place to reflect on the painstaking steps it has taken to come this far and to imagine better ways forward. Inside Memorial Park is a more humbling reminder of the price of the privilege to call Oshawa home. It is important to remember, also, that almost one-third of Indigenous people aged 18 to 45 enlisted in World War I, with thousands more (including non-status, Inuit, and Metis) enlisted without official recognition of their Indigenous identity. “Home” is a complicated term; I hope we all consider its depths.
The Cenotaph, a statue erected precisely 100 years ago, on November 11, 1924, features an infantryman sculpted out of bronze and stones from every Allied country fighting World War I. Bookending the monument are lights that burn continuously, serving as a reminder to visitors of the cost of war, lest we forget. The memorial also includes the names of people who lost their lives in the war efforts and serves as a dignified reminder of what there is to be thankful for. Below the statue is the Garden of the Unforgotten, another cue to pay our respects and take seriously the warning to avoid repeating history as much as possible.
Buried beneath the statue is a time capsule to be exhumed in the year 2424. Inside is a letter from the city engineer, photographs, poppy seeds, and a cheque from the mayor for an undisclosed amount intended for the monument's upkeep. The inscription on the memorial reads, “Know ye who pass this way/that though we fell/and other lands now claim our dust/we sleep content.” This is a fitting message on The Cenotaph, a word that means “a monument to someone buried elsewhere. I cannot assume how contently these fallen rest, but I can invite us all to grieve those who have suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of war.
Oshawa’s Remembrance Day Parade and Memorial will occur on Monday, November 11, at Memorial Park, starting at 10:30 a.m. Whether you are wearing a red poppy to honour the dead, a white poppy as a symbol of peace, or no poppy at all, the 100th anniversary of the unveiling of The Cenotaph is sure to be a place to pay respect.
Oshawa’s Memorial Park will also be featured in this year’s Bright and Merry Market, an uplifting event meant to gear us up for the holiday season. Taking place on Friday, November 15, from 5 to 9 p.m., join in the festivities at City Hall (50 Centre Street), all the way down to Memorial Park (110 Simcoe Street South). Taking to the stage will be O’Neill CVI's choir from 5:30 to 6 p.m., The Durham Shores Chorus from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the tree lighting will take place at 8 p.m., with visits from Santa Claus happening from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and again from 6:45 to 8:30 p.m.
Comments