City of Brantford announces modified plans for Remembrance Day 2020

BRANTFORD, ON: Remembrance Day has always been a special day when the community could gather together to pay tribute to the courage and sacrifice of those who served and continued to serve our country during times of war, military conflict, and peace. Due to the COVID-19 gathering restrictions that need to remain in place at this time, 2020 Remembrance Day services have been adapted to ensure the safety of our residents while providing opportunities on November 11^th to remember, with respect and gratitude, those who served our nation. While Remembrance Day will be acknowledged differently this year, the City encourages residents to honour our veterans safely.

Outlined below are modified ways in which the City and community will pay our respects to acknowledge the sacrifice of our nation’s veterans:

1. November 10^th 6:00 p.m. - November 11^th 7:00 a.m.: Overnight Lighting Display at the Brant County War Memorial (Corner of Dalhousie St. & Brant Ave.) – The public is invited to drive by within these hours to view the light display. 
2. November 11^th beginning at 10:45 a.m.: 2020 National Remembrance Day Ceremony - Conducted live at the National War Memorial in Ottawa, residents are encouraged to watch the ceremony via Facebook Live at https://www.facebook.com/CanadianLegion/
3. November 11^th within the time frame of 11:20 a.m. -11:35 a.m.: Weather permitting, residents are encouraged to step outside your home, place of business or place of learning and “Look Up and Remember” as vintage airplanes including the Lancaster, orbit our city in remembrance. The City of Brantford extends our gratitude to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum for including our community in their efforts to touch thousands of people in the Golden Horseshoe area during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Virtual Remembrances

1. Throughout the day, the City of Brantford will upload a series of videos to the City of Brantford Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CityofBrantford/ showcasing past Remembrance Day clips, as well as present-day dignitaries, organizations and emergency service personnel as they lay wreaths in remembrance at the Cenotaph.
2. Brant Museum & Archives – Virtual Series - “Archival Discoveries” is an online show that features an episode on the creation of the Brant County War Memorial.  To view, residents are encouraged to visit http://brantmuseum.ca/adult-programming/archival-discoveries/. The Remembrance Day Series topics for the month of November will include.

• November 5th – Brant County War Memorial Association
• November 12th – Letters of Ray Reeves during WWII
• November 19th – Letters of the Betts Brothers during WWI

“While we are not able to gather in person the way we normally do on Remembrance Day this year, it is my sincere hope that residents will still find time this November 11^th to remember and reflect on the sacrifice of the brave men and women who have so honourably represented our community and nation,” said Brantford Mayor Kevin Davis. “I know that like me, many in our community take great pride in the legacy of courage, tenacity, and accomplishment of all those who have served.”

The City of Brantford is grateful for the efforts of those who have assisted in organizing the 2020 Civic Remembrance Day Service, including various veterans’ groups, community organizations, the 56^th Field Artillery Regiment, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Brant Museum & Archives, Brantford City Council, City of Brantford and County of Brant staff, our local MP, MPP and Legions.

In addition to wearing a poppy on November 11^th, in accordance with the City of Brantford mandatory face covering by-law, residents may wish to show their support by purchasing a Poppy Mask from the Canadian Legion at https://www.poppystore.ca/.