Ontario

Veterans’ Memorial - Conflict, was designed by Toronto artist, Kari Myllymaki, and unveiled on 11 November 1983. The memorial was dedicated by Reverend Bob Nicholson, Padre for Royal Canadian Legion Branch 15. It was erected by Meadowvale Cemetery as a feature in the Veterans Section which was dedicated the year prior. 

Non-representational in its carefully planned setting it conveys respect for Veterans, without glorifying war. The pyramid shapes are constructed of steeled Stanstead granite and surround a polished globe of Barre gray granite. In the center, the globe is the Earth, in danger of being overwhelmed by sinister powers willing to destroy it. The circularity is reflected in the road which surrounds the area. As one walks around the sculpture, the varying heights of the triangular sections give changing views suggesting an elusive ideal.

The Brampton Memorial Arena was built to honour those who lost their lives in the Second World War. The arena, erected by the city and citizens of Brampton, opened January 14, 1950.

Peel's Dixie Road was commemorated as Veterans Memorial Roadway with the first sign unveiled in May of 2016.  Local Legion members helped choose the road for commemoration and provided input on the signage. The idea was suggested about two years previous by then mayor Marolyn Morrison. Morrison has two sons in the military and both did tours in Afghanistan. 

Over 50 kilometres of roadway is commemorated, from the foot of Lake Ontario to Peel's Highway 9 border. Dixie runs from Lake Ontario and ends at Olde Base line, but the designation extends north to Highway 9. The road names have not changed. In Caledon, where Dixie Road ends, the commemoration and signage continues along Caledon's Horseshoe Hill Road.

In the south west corner of Chinguacousy Park there is a memorial dedicated to the fallen of two world conflicts and numerous United Nations’ missions. Two years after the City of Brampton was incorporated, the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 609 Bramalea, erected a memorial dedicated to the fallen from the Township of Chinguacousy, Town of Brampton and Toronto Gore. There was a dedication on the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion in 1976.

The memorial exists of a four sided column made of flagstone with a wall that connects it to a planting bed. The square in front of the memorial was a large concrete pad. In 2017-2018, it was replaced and new design elements added to make the memorial accessible. The concrete for the plaza was enlarged to accommodate larger Remembrance Day Services and also add some furniture. The concrete pad consists of three colour schemes depicting the different Cadet Corps that exist in Brampton - a sandy colour for the Army Cadets, a blue-grey for the Sea Cadets and a black strip to the front of the column that intersects the square for the Air Cadets. There are four large placards in the back that have the emblems of three types of cadet corps and the Royal Canadian Legion, honouring the relationship between the Legion and the Cadet Corps.

The first Veteran interment in the Brampton Cemetery took place in July 1964, with the next interment taking place in 1965, it is believed it is around this time that the Brampton Cemetery Memorials were installed.

The Brampton Cemetery Memorials are surrounded by graves of Brampton Veterans who served from the Boer War and onward. Both memorials are part of the Annual Vimy Day and Decoration Day Services. 

The Great War Veterans Association Memorial was erected after the First World War by the Great War Veterans’ Association – Brampton Branch, (later Royal Canadian Legion Branch 15). It is surrounded by the graves of Veterans of Brampton who served in that conflict. This memorial is part of the Annual Vimy Day Services and those of Decoration Day. It served as Brampton’s Cenotaph before the unveiling of the national memorial by the Governor General in 1928.

On September 26, 2016, the Lorne Scots celebrated their 150th anniversary with the unveiling of a monument that commemorates the Regiment’s founding in 1866. The unveiling was presided by their Colonel-in-Chief, His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent, KG, GCMG, GCVO, CD, ADC(P).

The monument is inspired by the Vimy Memorial in France, and features three columns. The left column represents Duty, the right column signifies Honour, while the space between the two stones represents Sacrifice. The two are 7.5 feet high. The monument is made of Canadian granite to match the Cenotaph across the street in Memorial Square.

The Regimental cap badge is supported by columns displaying the Battle Honours of the Regiment. The Lorne Scots Regiment badge cap bears the motto “Air son ar duthchais” in Scottish Gaelic, which reads “For our heritage”. A dedication at the base is adorned with badges and symbols of the Regiment.

In the Year of the Veteran, 2005, artist Jim Menken carved The Veteran out of dying red oak that had stood for over a century. It was modelled after local Second World War veteran Bill Bettridge.

In 2012, major cracks from water damage in the statue were noted, and Menken determined the wood was too severely damaged to repair. He re-carved the sculpture out of Ash hardwood. The Veteran was relocated to the northeast corner park, installed on a concrete base and unveiled on October 26, 2013.

The City of Brampton's downtown street lampposts are adorned with banners of photos and names of Veterans from the First World War to present day, some still actively serving in Canada’s Military. The banners are installed each year in October and remain until November 11. Ten new banners are added annually.

In Brampton Ontario, in the 1920s, a hospital was dedicated as a memorial. When a replacement for the Peel Memorial Hospital was built recently and the name was dropped, a public outcry forced officials to hastily dedicate a building as the Peel Memorial. Peel Memorial provides the residents of Brampton and surrounding communities with a wonderful new health facility and easy access to a wide variety of traditional and alternative health care services.