BARRHEAD-Virus or no virus there will be a Remembrance Day ceremony in Barrhead.
That is what Barrhead Royal Canadian Legion president John Tiemstra reiterated on Nov. 2.
What it will exactly look like is not known.
"We will have to play it by ear," he said.
The one thing that is known is that it will be a vastly scaled-down version of last year's events due to COVID-19 concerns.
"It is not just us, but ceremonies all over the country, if they are still able to hold them," he said.
Normally the ceremony takes place, in the Barrhead Elementary School gym before moving to Barrhead's War Memorial after the veteran's parade.
However, this year the ceremony will consist of a minimum of an opening prayer, the playing of the Last Post, two minutes of silence and ending in Reveille and will be conducted entirely at the War Memorial, or Memorial Park.
Before the commencement of the ceremony, the Legion will lay the wreaths from community members.
Part of the reason why there are still some details are still up in the air is that several Legion members who normally play a large part in the planning or as part of the actual ceremony live in Klondike Place which is part of Barrhead and District Social Housing Association’s (BDSHSA) series of senior complexes which are all attached via a series of hallways.
Alberta Health Services has put Hillcrest Lodge under outbreak status as two of its residents had tested positive for the coronavirus. The residents are now off isolation. As a result of being put on outbreak status, which is expected to be lifted by Nov. 20 if there are no further positive tests, residents and tenants in the other complexes have been instructed to limit their trips outside their prospective buildings to essential trips only.
Tiemstra said they also do not know if Rev. David Pype, who has conducted the ceremony for several years, will be available due to a non-related COVID illness in the family.
Wreath laying will begin about 10:30 a.m. and the Remembrance Day ceremony will begin shortly before 11 a.m.
Fort Assiniboine
The Fort Assiniboine Legion will also be hosting a heavily abridged Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11 at the hamlet's war memorial.
In an Oct. 27 interview, president Dale Kluin said at 11 a.m. they would be holding an informal ceremony consisting of "laying of wreaths and saying a few short words".
He added after the ceremony the Legion would be closed.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
