Light Horse Park opens officially with ceremony
The Light Horse Park in Old Strathcona officially opened Saturday, six years after breaking ground.
The park is named after the South Alberta Light Horse Regiment (SALHR), which dates back to 1905 and has squadrons in Edmonton and Medicine Hat.
Retired Lt.-Col. Troy Steele said the area where the park is has strong ties to the regiment with the Connaught Armoury, the oldest armoury in Alberta, right next door.
Because the SALHR is a community regiment, Steele said they also wanted the park to be in an area where the community could easily access it.
"We wanted this park to be a place where people, regardless of their faiths or regardless of their particular affiliations in conflicts, could come and reflect on the impacts that they've had on them from whatever country or area that they came from," he added.
The cenotaph rests on a base of soil gathered from every war cemetery in Europe where Canadian soldiers are buried. And over the last two years, two new installations were added in collaboration with the Dutch Canadian Club of Edmonton.
Canadian troops helped to liberate the Netherlands in 1945, and Steele said the regiment shares a strong bond with the Dutch community.
Last year a statue of Anne Frank was unveiled at the park, and in April 2022, a series of five plaques explaining the regiment's history in global conflicts were opened in the park.
The next phase of the park includes building columns at the entry of the park, adding benches, and installing memorial plaques and walls from material rescued from buildings demolished in Old Strathcona.
"This is just basically an area where people can come and relax and be safe," Steele said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.