Tomorrow’s Remembrance Day services will go ahead in the downtown core as usual despite the construction in Memorial Square.
Much like Wayne Hay of the Downtown Barrie BIA had promised in late June on the issue of where the annual parade and memorial would be, the recently uplifted and moved cenotaph will still be the site of Barrie’s moment of silence. Earlier this year Chair of the BIA Hay had said of the ground-breaking of the square that “Remembrance Day will be held on Dunlop at the cenotaph in its new location.” That suits Fern Taillefer just fine as the long time Parade Marshall is taking today to fine tune any little details on the event that is set to go as it does every year.
“I’m meeting with city of Barrie folks today and then we will be ready to get going in the morning,” said Taillefer. “A lot of work goes into this every year but every year it goes off without a hitch. I’ll also say that even though the day is pretty much the same each year with a few things here and there changed, I know that I’m personally honoured to have the chance to be the Parade Marshall for the last seven years and be a part of paying tribute to all of Canada’s heroes.”
Taillefer’s job begins earlier in the year as phone calls are made to the many different groups who will march through the streets and also the several dignitaries who will speak and perform other duties the day of.
“I get together with the staff here at the Legion and start making calls to the leaders of all the groups who will be a part of the day,” said Taillefer. “Organizing who speaks when and for how long is on the agenda; we have to remember that the speakers before 11 a.m. need to wrap up seconds before so we can smoothly transition into the most solemn part of the day and holding silence for those who gave so much.”
The Legion Veteran’s Services Officer says that there is also the laying of wreathes that needs a careful and strategic eye. With bugles playing and guns firing in memorial, many of those military and political dignitaries will lay a wreath at the foot of the cenotaph and then continue on to their designated spot. While the whole thing doesn’t take all too long, there is a lot of planning involved to make sure it runs smoothly and respectively.
“There are so many who lay wreathes to represent themselves or a group that it needs to be well planned,” said Taillefer. “Certain politicians go ahead of others while the military personnel also have an order and of course groups like the Barrie Police, Sea Cadets and a special one like the Silver Cross Mother all do the honour as well. We try to set them up beforehand to go in order of where they’d go while approaching the cenotaph and then easily get back to their spot.”
Memorial Square may be under construction but the city of Barrie has made the area of the cenotaph look admirable. The fencing that has closed off the central part of downtown has been pushed back with a flat cleared surface for the ceremony to take place. The fences have even been adorned with wrap designed with poppies, leaving the area very much easy on the eyes.
Those involved in the parade will meet at Mulcaster and Dunlop Streets at 10:15 a.m. and march towards the cenotaph at 10:30 a.m. After the 11 a.m. two minutes of silence and when the parade starts up again and all the ceremonial events are finished, everyone is invited back to the Barrie Legion Branch 147 at 410 St. Vincent St. for a small gathering.
