Markham Remembers: Commemorating Canada's Hundred Days and the Armistice 100th Anniversary

MARKHAM, ON – November 6, 2018 – This year marks 100 years since the end of the First World War. To honour and pay tribute to Canada's veterans, members of the public are invited to attend several events across the City of Markham.

"Markham has a proud history of those who answered the call of duty," says Mayor Frank Scarpitti. "On the 100th anniversary of the ending of the First World War, we remember the men and women who selflessly served and valiantly fought for our freedom. Their legacy lives on, this is a time to come together as a community and show our deep gratitude and respect. We will remember them."

The City of Markham is committed to preserving the history of our community and commemorating the immeasurable contributions of our military personnel. This past June, Markham unveiled the revitalized Veterans Square and Cenotaph in historic Markham Village. This memorial now provides a space for peace, reflection and education.

Read below to learn more about the upcoming public Remembrance Day events and free programs in Markham.

City of Markham Remembrance Day Service

When: 
Friday, November 9, 2018 
10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Official Ceremony 
12:00 p.m. | Flag Raising at Community Flag Pole

Where: 
Flato Markham Theatre 
171 Town Centre Boulevard, Markham

Remembrance Day Service - Markham District Veterans Association

When: 
Saturday, November 10, 2018 
10:00 to 11:00 a.m. | Service at Veterans Hall  
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. | Parade to Cenotaph and Laying of the Wreaths

Where: 
Markham District Veterans Association 
7 Washington Street, Markham

Markham Village Veterans Square and Cenotaph 
S/E Corner of Highway 7 & Markham Road

Unionville Remembrance Day Ceremony

When: 
Sunday, November 11, 2018 
10:45 to 11:30 a.m.

Where: 
Crosby Memorial Arena - Cenotaph 
Unionville Main Street and Carlton Road

Who: 
Unionville Business Improvement Area (Unionville BIA)

Ringing the Bells of Peace

This Remembrance Day, as the sun begins to set, communities across Canada will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War with the ringing of 100 bells. This will emulate the moment in 1918 when church bells across Europe tolled as four years of war had come to an end. To commemorate Canada's Hundred Days and the Armistice 100th Anniversary, the City of Markham will ring the bell at the Berczy Monument 100 times on Sunday, November 11. Members of the public are invited to join and pay their respects.

When: 
Sunday, November 11, 2018 
4:30 p.m.

Where: 
Markham Civic Centre, Berczy Monument 
101 Town Centre Boulevard

Witness: Canadian Art of the First World War and Varley Remembers 

Witness examines how Canadians expressed their wartime experiences through art – both on the home front and overseas – as official war artists or as soldiers in the field. It features works that have never been displayed publically before, from large canvases painted during and immediately after the war, to small, personal drawings, sketched in the trenches and in prisoner-of-war camps.

On Remembrance Day, The Varley Art Gallery will focus on the end of the war and F.H. Varley’s role as a war artist with Varley Remembers, an event that runs from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Members of the public are invited to join special guests for guided tours of Witness at 11:45 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and participate in a hands-on art activity to explore memory, place and nostalgia.

Free admission to the exhibit programs is provided by IBM Canada.

When: 
Sunday, November 11, 2018 
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where: 
Varley Art Gallery of Markham 
216 Main Street Unionville

Learn more