The City of Pitt Meadows, in partnership with the Maple Ridge branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, is preparing to welcome back hundreds of people to Spirit Square on Saturday for the Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Every year, the city hosts huge crowds around the Pitt Meadows cenotaph to honour those who have served and died for our country, explained Pitt Meadows Mayor Nicole MacDonald.
“We invite our community to gather in Spirit Square for the legion’s Remembrance Day ceremony,” said MacDonald. “This is an opportunity to pay our respects, reflect on the sacrifices made, and express our gratitude to our veterans.”
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As part of the annual Remembrance Day service, there will be an opportunity to lay wreaths on the cenotaph, with veterans and other officials marching through Spirit Square.
There will also be a performance of the national anthem and The Last Post, followed by two minutes of silence and a public reciting of In Flanders Fields.
Speeches will also be given by various local dignitaries honouring Canadian veterans.
The procession will begin at 10:45 a.m., which will be followed by a reception hosted in the Pitt Meadows Family Recreation Centre.
Seating during the ceremony will be reserved for veterans and individuals with accessibility issues. Anyone else should be prepared to stand for more than an hour at a time.
Before and during the ceremony, poppies will be available for purchase at Pitt Meadows city hall, with all of the money going toward Branch #88 in its efforts to help local veterans and their families.
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In order to accommodate the ceremony, police will block off access to the lane that runs between Spirit Square and the recreation centre from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Anyone interested in purchasing a wreath for the ceremony is asked to contact the Maple Ridge branch of the Royal Canadian Legion at 604-463-5101.
