Around 20 community members gathered to help paint the commemorative crosswalk in North Battleford on Nov. 7. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

By Kenneth Cheung

LEST WE FORGET

‘They fought for our freedom’: N.B. paints commemorative crosswalks ahead of Remembrance Day

Nov 8, 2024 | 11:02 AM

The community of North Battleford came together on Thursday to honour our veterans and Remembrance Day by painting commemorative crosswalks.

The new crosswalks were painted at the intersection of 14th Avenue and 100th Street, near the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 70.

At the heart of this project is Barb Heidt, whose dedication sparked the initiative.

“It means a lot to this country; they fought for our freedom, and we should all respect them,” she noted.

North Battleford has unveiled its first-ever commemorative crosswalks in honor of Remembrance Day. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

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Like many Canadians, Heidt has a family steeped in military history. Several family members, including her grandfathers and great-uncles, had served in different wars. With the Town of Battleford recently painting a crosswalk, she felt it was the perfect opportunity to bring the red-and-white spirit to the city.

To bring it to reality, she reached out to councillor Kelli Hawtin to see if it was something they could organize.

“I asked her who I could talk to in Northtown to get this done,” Heidt recalled. “I said, ‘If we could do it this year, that would be great; if not, we can plan for next year’.”

Hawtin quickly facilitated the process by contacting the city manager, while Heidt reached out to the Legion for approval. “So, here we are,” Heidt said.

Kelli Hawtin (left) and Barb Heidt collaborated to bring North Battleford their first ever commemorative crosswalks. (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

Hawtin noted that this project was also made possible through the generous support of various local businesses, including North Battleford Home Hardware, Discovery Co-op and Century 21 Prairie Elite. Along with citizens volunteering their time, she feels grateful to see the community unite for such a meaningful cause.

“It is a good way for us to be able to say thank you to our veterans,” Hawtin noted.

(Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW)

Jenna Crowder, one of the volunteers in the project, believes in the importance of young people participating in Remembrance Day events, such as this crosswalk project. She said these activities foster connections between generations, allowing youth to understand history and gain valuable insights into the past.

“I think it’s important to remember the past and what we represent nowadays,” Crowder added.

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com