The sound of rubber mallets tapping hard plastic crosses into yellow grass thrummed across a long stretch off the side of Memorial Drive on Saturday morning as volunteers set up the annual Field of Crosses Memorial Project.
It marked the beginning of what’s become an annual tradition in Calgary in which white crosses are erected along Sunnyside Bank Park in remembrance of Southern Alberta’s fallen soldiers. Each cross bears the name of a soldier who lost their life in the line of duty.
The crosses honour names dating back more than 100 years to the First World War. The scope of the project has ballooned since starting in 2009, when it was more of a homespun operation with about 200 crosses. This year, in its 15th year of operation, 3,600 crosses will bear the names of fallen personnel.
“This is my way of saying thank you for all this,” said Diane Dallaire, who lost her son on Aug. 3, 2006, in Afghanistan. She led the group of volunteers hammering the crosses into the ground Saturday morning. One of the first things Dallaire did Saturday was tap her son’s cross into the grass.
“Today was very emotional. I have good days, bad days.”
Susan Schalin, executive director for Field of Crosses, said it’s a monumental effort every year to put together the memorial.
“It’s a huge effort, and we’re just so appreciative of what we can do. People don’t realize, but we work on this all year — it doesn’t just happen overnight. We start in September cleaning crosses and now we’re putting crosses up,” Schalin said
This year includes a new program in which classrooms will be able to travel to the nearby curling club and participate in a class learning about Vimy Ridge, and then tour the site.
Field of Crosses has sunrise and sunset ceremonies every day from Nov. 1 to Nov. 10, with each day commemorating different aspects of Canada’s armed forces:
Nov. 1 — Royal Canadian Air Force Day
Nov. 2 — Youth Day
Nov. 3 — Memorial Cross Families Day
Nov. 4 — Royal Canadian Navy Day
Nov. 5 — Canadian Army Day
Nov. 6 — Sunrise: Honouring Women of War
Nov. 6 — Sunset: Honouring Jewish Fallen
Nov. 7 — First Responders Day
Nov. 8 — Indigenous Veterans Day
Nov. 9 — Sunrise: USA Tribute
Nov. 9 — Sunset: Animals in War
Nov. 10 — Sunrise: UN Peacekeeper
Nov. 10 — Sunset: Night of Lights Honouring Peace
Nov. 11 — Special Remembrance Day Ceremony
