Ceremony at Chestermere poppy crosswalk to go ahead Sunday
A ceremony paying tribute to Canada's veterans ahead of Remembrance Day will go ahead on Sunday in Chestermere.
The event will take place at Anniversary Park, the home of the city's cenotaph, and was organized by a local teenager.
Crews painted poppies on a crosswalk, but there was push back – from the national office of the Royal Canadian Legion.
A spokesperson says crosswalks are meant for people to walk and drive on, and it is disrespectful to do that to a poppy.
"The Legion deeply appreciates efforts like these, made by community members wanting to help remember Our Fallen. Unfortunately this particular display would have unintentionally resulted in individuals walking on the Poppy image, which is deemed disrespectful. The Poppy of Remembrance is a sacred symbol in Canada, representing actual individuals who have paid the ultimate sacrifice."
The Legion says it was entrusted with the image by the federal government to ensure it "is safeguarded and used respectfully."
Guidelines for poppy usage can be found on the organization's website.
Residents and even some veterans said despite that, they were impressed by the tribute.
"I've had friends die, relatives have died in the fields of Afghanistan, family in World War Two die," said Canadian veteran Andy Sinclair.
"And how can they say this being defaced when brothers and sisters gave blood for that, for people to walk in this I see no problem whatsoever because when they look down and go, 'Oh, a poppy' and just think of a family member a friend something you know that means a lot to veterans and still serving members."
The City of Chestermere issued a statement on Friday, saying they have been working on the project for more than a year.
"The City is proud to support this local community initiative that was created to offer our community a chance to collectively show their respect and support for our veterans," it read.
"On Friday, the city received a concern from the national office of the Royal Canadian Legion about the use of the poppy image. At this time, the Legion has not requested that the city paint over the crosswalk. The city is seeking to have further discussions with the Legion to better understand their concerns.
"The City of Chestermere always seeks to undertake initiatives with the greatest respect for veterans and their families and we look forward to working with the family, the Legion, the veterans association, and our local community to honour our veterans."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.