2013 Highlights
400 Trees planted in 7 project sites
40 professional volunteers (local landscape companies) & 14 pieces of equipment gave their time to prepare the site, dig holes, and place trees ready to be planted.
September 25 - 27 - 600 Community volunteers including 90 from Fanshawe college Horticultural Technician Program plus the efforts of auxiliary officers from the London Police Service, London Search & Rescue Team and St. John Ambulance.
Community Involvement
Girl Power planting site … Girl Guides and Women in Rotary plus other female business and community leaders … 50 tree planting to kick off the project.
Parkwood Penny initiative: Started with 1,500 in pennies collected by Parkwood patients, staff, and families. These funds were matched with hundreds of thousands of pennies from various partners including Bud and Steve Polhill (Optimists). This lead to the planting of 50 trees. The planting was attended by patients from Parkwood and many of their comrades from local Veteran associations.
66th Scouts and Triple H Concrete Products: Installation of “Loyalty an interpretation of the Canadian Flag in Stone” …
VMP Gateway Feature
Located on the east side of the VMP just north of the 401, the Gateway stone feature introduces travellers to the commemorative nature of Veterans Memorial Parkway.
The main engraved stone, weighing approximately 50,000 lbs., features a prominent red poppy, and is flanked by large coniferous trees that provide a year round backdrop.
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Flag Feature
Using the flags of Canada and the Provinces, this feature reinforces the fact that service men and women from coast-to-coast are being honoured by the Veterans Memorial Parkway. It is located on the west side of the VMP just south of Bradley Avenue.
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Courage Feature
The memorial theme of the parkway is not based on specific battles or campaigns, but rather the values of service. Thus, it is fitting that the first such feature, located on the west side of the VMP between Bradley Ave. and Hamilton Rd., honours the value of Courage: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear.
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Valour Feature
Just north of Hamilton Rd., on the east side of the parkway, is the distinctive V for Valour feature. Made from two large pieces of rock weighing approximately 10,000 lbs each, this feature required extensive footings to support them on an angle. Valour: strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness
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Freedom Feature
One of two features located just south of Gore Rd., it features three large rocks and celebrates the outcome of the sacrifices that our service men and women have made on our behalf - Freedom: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action
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Fortitude Feature
Opposite the Freedom feature, on the east side of the VMP just south of Gore Rd. is the tribute to the value of Fortitude: strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.
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1,000 Tree & Shrub Planting
In 2010, volunteers including local area Scout Troops planted 1,000 trees and shrubs along the VMP between Admiral Dr. and Trafalgar St. The initiative was funded by Trojan Technologies, Starlim, 3M, Abuma Manufacturing, TD Friends of the Environment, City of London Council, City of London Parks, Planning & Design, and others.
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100-Tree Guards of Honour
To echo the spirit of a military Guard of Honour, two groves of 100 large caliper trees were planted on the west side of the VMP in 2011 near the offices of 3M and Starlim. The work was done by professional volunteers from local member companies of Landscape Ontario, with volunteers from the community pitching in to backfill, mulch and stake the trees.
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