A massive landscape project underway in London, Ont., will see the development of a living monument along a 10-km (6.3-mile) stretch of Veterans Memorial Parkway (VMP), to honour Canada’s veterans.
According to a report in The London Free Press, workers and volunteers have started to landscape the parkway, erect rock features and plant trees. Five out of the 20 rock features planned for the memorial have been completed. Each will be surrounded by a 100-tree guard of honour. The face of each rock will also have the words ‘service,’ ‘sacrifice’ and ‘honour,’ carved into them.
“It’s unique in the country in that the entire parkway will become the monument to veterans. It’s designed to create a driving experience to make you think about veterans and their service,” Barry Sandler, executive director of the Veterans Memorial Parkway community program, told the Free Press. “The features are meant to focus on the values and service veterans have given the country. I have looked at examples and I haven’t found anything like this. It’s an interesting idea, but it’s a big project.”
Companies such as Starlim, 3M and Trojan Technologies are also supporting the project. Earlier this year, 200 trees were planted, half at Starlim and half at 3M. Two more plantings are scheduled for Sept. 29, 2012.
The Veteran’s Memorial Parkway Landscape Enhancement Project officially launched on Sept. 30 when London Mayor Joe Fontana joined representatives of Landscape Ontario to sign an agreement for the Veteran’s Memorial Parkway Community Program to begin operations. The project is expected to be completed by 2017.
