Living Tribute Addition to Beechwood Cemetery Announced on 75th Anniversary of D-Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OTTAWA, ON – On Thursday, June 6th, a special ceremony was held at Beechwood Cemetery in Ottawa to coincide with the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The event featured the ground-breaking and announcement of a Canadian Tulip Festival & Highway of Heroes Living Tribute commemorative garden. Two maple trees were planted as the beginning of the project that will see a new kind of living memorial added to Beechwood Cemetery. In the fall, Liberation75* tulip bulbs will be added to the garden bed so that in spring 2020, the tulips will bloom in time for the 75th anniversary of V-E Day.
“It is an honour to commemorate this special anniversary by starting the installment of a living memorial at Canada’s National Military Cemetery,” says Mark Cullen, Canada’s gardening guru, Campaign Chair and co-founder of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign. “So many Canadians that gave their lives in Normandy and throughout the second world war were buried overseas and did not get to return home. In a way, these ceremonial trees will represent their memory living on here on home soil.”
The special commemorative event also featured remarks provided by Henk van der Zwan, Ambassador at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Matt Luloff, Deputy Mayor of Ottawa and Canadian Armed Forces Veteran and was sponsored by Frank Cowan Company.
"The Canadian Tulip Festival is honoured to be part of such a significant garden in Canada's National Cemetery,” said Grant Hooker, President of the Canadian Tulip Festival. “Both the Highway of Heroes and the Festival are planting trees and tulips respectively to commemorate those who gave their lives so that we could flourish in this amazing country of ours. We are truly fortunate and will forever be grateful for their ultimate sacrifice."
“As we mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we are humbled and honoured to be here to recognize the contributions made by those who served through the creation this living tribute”, says Larry Ryan, President, Frank Cowan Company.
Three years after its launch, the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign continues to resonate with Canadians from coast to coast. The project will see 2,000,000 trees planted as a living, breathing tribute to those who have served their country in times of conflict. Located along the Highway 401 corridor between Trenton and Toronto, known as the Highway of Heroes, 117,000 of these trees will honour those Canadians who have fallen in war since the confederation.
High-res photos of the event can be found here.
Liberation75 Tulip Bulbs* https://liberation75.ca/
-30-
About The Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign
When is a tree more than just a tree? The answer is when the tree is part of a memorial to honour Canada’s fallen heroes. We are planting 2,000,000 trees between Trenton and Toronto, one tree for every Canadian that has served during times of conflict since Confederation and including the war of 1812. 117,000 of the most prominent trees will be planted along and near the stretch of the 401 known as the Highway of Heroes, one tree for every life lost while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. This tribute offers an opportunity to tell the story of those that have served in the Armed Forces and remind travellers along the highway of the great debt we owe these courageous Canadians. It will also provide a myriad of environmental benefits for generations to come. The Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign is supported by Veterans Affairs Canada, the Government of Ontario, Mark’s Choice, Landscape Ontario, TD Bank, Frank Cowan Company, Tree Canada, Every Tree Counts (a partnership between Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation and the City of Toronto), Harrington & Associates, Rotary District 7070, Maple Leaves Forever, the Garden Club of Toronto, and the Canadian Tulip Festival. To learn more, visit www.hohtribute.ca.
About Frank Cowan Company
Frank Cowan Company is a Canadian leader in providing specialized insurance programs, including risk management and claims services for municipalities and public service, healthcare, education, community, children’s and social service organizations across Canada.
For additional information about Frank Cowan Company, visit www.frankcowan.com.
The Canadian Tulip Festival
The Canadian Tulip Festival was established to celebrate the historic Royal gift of tulips from the Dutch to Canadians immediately following the Second World War as a symbol of international friendship. The Festival preserves the memorable role of the Canadian troops in the liberation of the Netherlands and Europe, as well as commemorates the birth of Dutch Princess Margriet in Ottawa during World War II—the only royal personage ever born in Canada.
This festival is governed by a non-profit charitable organization Board of Directors chaired by Mr. Grant Hooker. The Canadian Tulip Festival has been celebrating the tulip, an international symbol of friendship and peace, since 1953. The first Canadian Tulip Festival was led by the Ottawa Board of Trade (now the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce), at the suggestion of world renowned photographer Malak Karsh.(www.tulipfestival.ca)
About Beechwood Cemetery
Beechwood is the National Cemetery of Canada and is the home of the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces, National RCMP Memorial Cemetery, the Ottawa Police Service Memorial Cemetery, the CSIS Cemetery and many more organizations and religious groups. Beechwood has been proudly serving our community since 1873.
Beechwood, Funeral, Cemetery and Cremation Services is owned by The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation and operates on a not-for-profit basis. Governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, it is the only organization of its kind in Ottawa.