New Toronto

 

Location:  City of Toronto     N 43.59833   W -79.51574

On the south side of Lakeshore Blvd. West, just east of Kipling Avenue.

 

The neighbourhood of New Toronto has recently moved their beloved cenotaph from its previous location at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 3 to its new and permanent home in Col. Sam Smith Park, a main feature of the community.  Its proudly stands in front of the historic Assembly Hall of Humber College.  The memorial had stood for decades in front of the former Legion location and since 1983 it was the site of local Remembrance Day ceremonies.  The Legion property was purchased by Petrogold Inc. who are now waiting approval to construct a condominium complex.  Petrogold worked with the Legion and local community leaders to ensure the relocation of the cenotaph to its new home and also paid for the move.  The move was completed just in time for Remembrance Day in November 2020.  Moving the 7.5 metre, 9000 pound solid granite monument was no small task, but was successfully managed by McCulloch Movers of Whitby, specialists in moving historic buildings.  The unveiling ceremony was attended by only 100 people due to the Covid-19 crisis, but the new location of the memorial in a park setting seems more than fitting.  Landscaping work is still to be completed, along with adding Afghanistan to the battle honours listed on the memorial.  

I learned of this memorial and its new location from a web-story by journalist Tamara Shephard, you can find the link here:  https://www.toronto.com/news-story/10274344-cenotaph-honouring-war-dead-relocated-to-etobicoke-s-col-sam-smith-park/

 

 

Marker text:

Front:

WORLD WAR I     1914 - 1918

WORLD WAR II    1939 - 1945

KOREA                   1950 - 1953

TO OUR GLORIOUS DEAD