The city has installed new poppy artwork at the crosswalk in front of the cenotaph at Memorial Square in downtown Barrie.
The three poppies that have been incorporated into the crosswalk are 24 inches in size. The thermoplastic application will last approximately seven years, according to the city.
The crosswalk is located at Owen and Dunlop streets, directly facing the cenotaph, which honours the area's fallen veterans and supports local military heritage — past, present and future.
“The poppy crosswalk is another way residents can honour and remember our fallen soldiers on Remembrance Day, as well as at other times of the year,” Mayor Jeff Lehman said in a news release. “I hope everyone will take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices made as they walk by the poppies.”
The city says it consulted with Barrie’s Royal Canadian Legion branch, which supported the poppy crosswalk installation as a way to remember our veterans and their sacrifices.
For Remembrance Day in Barrie on Thursday, there will be no in-person, public ceremony at the Memorial Square cenotaph in an effort to protect the health of local veterans and community members.
The legion, located at St. Vincent Street and Cundles Road, is hosting a private ceremony starting at 10:45 a.m. The public is invited to watch virtually by tuning in to Rogers Channel 10 or visiting the city’s Remembrance Day webpage for links. Rogers TV will also be airing a short segment of interviews leading up to the ceremony, starting at 10:30 a.m.
Veterans can also ride Barrie Transit free of charge, with one companion, all day on Remembrance Day by showing anything that identifies status as a veteran.
