Edmontonians gather to remember and reflect on the 'cost of war'

Edmontonians gathered at sites around the city Saturday for Remembrance Day.

A ceremony was held at the Beverly Cenotaph, Alberta's oldest cenotaph, following a church service and parade from the Maranatha Church.

• In Pictures: Remembrance Day in Edmonton

"In Flanders Field" was read by an officer from the 395 Edmonton Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron, and "The Last Post" was played by Cpt. Jonathan Page of 15 Field Ambulance.

Wreaths were laid by a number of government and military groups to honour the sacrifice of Canadian soldiers.

Joe Luce, chairman on the Beverly Memorial Cenotaph Committee, has been helping organize Remembrance Day events for 24 years and said Saturday's ceremony was "excellent."

"The weather was great, the crowds were respectful and went away learning something this year," he said.

Past cold weather has kept people from lingering to learn more, he added, and Saturday's temperature led to many people staying behind after the event ended.

"It's the community that embraces our servicemen and women, and to see this kind of turnout and the respect from them, like every year, is a testament," Luce said.

This year was the 103rd Remembrance Day ceremony held at the Beverly Cenotaph.

"There's a lot of history here, hearing about the Town of Beverly where it first began" said NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who attended the ceremony alongside Edmonton MP Blake Desjarlais.

"It reminds us of the cost of war, the deep sacrifice in serving the country and how important it is for us to remember." 

CITY HALL

At City Hall, Edmontonians gathered in and outside during a ceremony held by the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, an infantry unit located at the Jefferson Armoury.

A military band, pipers and a choir offered music inside City Hall before a reading of "In Flanders Field."

More chairs needed to be added to accommodate the growing crowd.

"It swells up a great feeling of pride in our city and a feeling of pride in our country that so many beyond the expectations of the organizers would come out," said McKenzie Kibler, a lieutenant with the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.

"This really means a lot to all of us to see so many people coming out to support not only those who have fallen, but also those who are still serving," he said.

Afterwards, the crowd moved outside for a procession and a wreath laying ceremony at the City Hall Cenotaph, which was relocated from 102 Street and 100 Avenue in 1978.

Brian Hodgson, who served for more than two decades with the Canadian and British militaries, attended the ceremony.

He said it's important that all people, regardless of their connection to the military, take time to reflect.

"It is a fact that the currency of war is blood, human treasure and loss," he said. "I think remembering those facts, and probably more pointedly on a day like today, is a very good thing."

"The act of remembrance is, I think, something that every Canadian should think about, certainly on this day and throughout the year," he added.

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment is a primary reserve unit that began in 1908 as the 101st Regiment.