A Windsor branch of the Royal Canadian Legion has begun preparations for Remembrance Day with a tribute to the area's fallen war heroes.
The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 255 has completed most of its work on the Veterans Sidewalk Project, a striking red-and-white form of sidewalk art.
Marty Flanagan, executive member of Branch 255, told WindsorNewsToday.ca that it was important to have the art in Windsor.
"We noticed across Canada that there were veterans' crosswalks being put up," said Flanagan. "We wanted to do one as well. Our first vice-president, Rob Marshall, reached out to one of the councillors, Gary Kaschak, and asked, could we do one if the city agreed to help out?"
The Legion discussed its intentions with Kaschak and Ward 6 Councillor Jo-Anne Gignac to lay out a crosswalk across Wyandotte Street East at St. Louis, though Flanagan said the City was not warm to that plan due to high traffic in the area.
Flanagan said the next logical option was sidewalk art, and a Legion branch in British Columbia was happy to provide Branch 255 with ideas.
"We had an internal Legion team that was trying to gather designs," said Flanagan. "One of the team members had seen one that was done in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Branch 88 out there, and we loved it. We loved what they had for their designs."
The sidewalk art, most of which was completed last week, consists of the words "Lest We Forget" along the curb. The number "11", shown three times to recognize the 1918 Armistice as on the "11th hour, on the 11th day, in the 11th month", is on the path leading to the Legion's front entrance.
Flanagan said the goal is to have the completed project ready by Friday, which is the launch of the Legion's annual poppy campaign.
A banner display is also seen on streetlights near the branch on Wyandotte Street East, with images of Windsor service people who made the ultimate sacrifice.
