COMOX VALLEY, B.C. – Tomorrow signifies a day to remember the lives lost, and to salute those who have served in the armed forces to protect us.
November 11th is Remembrance Day. The Comox Valley is marking the day with various events in each community.
COURTENAY
In Courtenay, there will be a veteran’s breakfast at 9:00 a.m. in the Upper Hall of the Courtenay Legion. Breakfast is served for $5.
The Remembrance Day parade will start at the Courtenay Legion at 10:40 a.m. (with setup at 10:30 a.m.), making way to Jubilee Square.
There will be a service of remembrance at Jubilee Square starting at 10:50 a.m., with fly past at 11:00 a.m. There will be songs of remembrance performed by the Comox Valley Children’s Choir, followed by the laying of wreaths.
After the parade, everyone is invited to an open house in the lounge of the Courtenay Legion. There will be refreshments and music for adult members and the public downstairs, with refreshments for youth in the Upper Hall.
The following facilities will be closed on Sunday, November 11th and Monday, November 12th to honour Remembrance Day:
-Courtenay Recreation’s Lewis Centre
-Courtenay Recreation’s Florence Filberg Centre
-The LINC Youth Centre
In addition, City Hall, the Public Works Yard and the Courtenay Fire Hall will be closed on Monday for the statutory holiday.
However, the local fire department will be on call for emergencies, as will the Public Works Yard (can be reached by phone at 250-334-2947).
The Bells of Peace Ceremony will also be taking place at the HMCS Alberni Museum and Memorial.
Commemorating the Centennial of the Armistice, bells across Canada will toll 100 times at sundown on Remembrance Day 2018.
Bell ringers should be at the museum by 4:15 p.m., and spectators should be at museum by 4:30 p.m.
Bell ringing will begin at approximately 4:42 p.m. and last for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Other facilities taking part in the Bells of Peace ceremonies include:
–St. Andrew’s Anglican Church (579 5th Street, Courtenay)
–Christ the King Catholic Church (1599 Tunner Drive, Courtenay)
–St. George’s United Church (505 6th Street, Courtenay)
–The Old Church Theatre (755 Harmston Avenue, Courtenay)
COURTENAY ROAD CLOSURES
To accommodate the ceremonies, the Legion requests that there be no parking after midnight November 11th at Jubilee Square (between Native Sons Hall and the Sid Williams Theatre, Courtenay).
The Legion is also asking residents to not park on Cliffe Avenue between 4th and 3rd Streets on both sides.
In addition, Cliffe Avenue will be closed to traffic between 5th and 3rd Streets between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. during the ceremonies.
CUMBERLAND
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch #28 will host a Remembrance Day parade with the Village of Cumberland.
The parade will start at Dunsmuir Avenue and Third Street just after 10:30 a.m. and moves along Dunsmuir to the Legion between Fourth and Fifth Streets.
Dunsmuir Avenue will be closed to traffic from Third Street to Fifth Street during the parade and service. The village is asking attendees to save the parking spaces on Fourth Street adjacent to the post office for those with disabilities.
In case of inclement weather, the parade will take place at Cumberland’s rec centre. Parking is available at the lot accessed from Sutton Road and at the Cultural Centre parking lot accessed from First Street.
COMOX
In Comox, the parade will start at Nordin Street and continue along Comox Avenue, until parade members march to the cenotaph.
Attendees are advised to show up to watch the parade at around 10:30 a.m.
Following the parade, there will be a ceremony at the cenotaph, including a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m.
