Wednesday, March 29, 2023

Monuments In Confederation Park

 Confederation Park is a short walk away from Parliament Hill, occupying a block of land. Several military monuments are to be found here, along with this totem pole, seen on a cold clear day after the beginning of spring. The National Arts Centre looms in the background.


This fountain is one of the monuments, cordoned off over the winter. It's dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel John By, the British military engineer who oversaw the building of the Rideau Canal and who has been deemed the founder of Ottawa. 


A short walk away, this plaque is mounted to a slab of rock, honouring Canadian airmen of the Second World War who lost their lives in operations over Poland.


The oldest and the newest monuments of the park are together.


This cenotaph honours local soldiers who served and died in the South African War.


The Animals In War Memorial is dedicated to animals that have served in war, with plaques alongside a life sized statue of a military service dog. Less easily seen are tracks in the pavement- horseshoes and dog prints.


I wasn't able to take a picture, but there was a passerby with a German shepherd who took a photograph of his dog standing face to face with this fellow.


The last of the monuments in the park is the biggest. This is the National Aboriginal Veterans Monument. Designed by indigenous artist Lloyd Pinay, it pays tribute to all indigenous veterans of the country. On the granite block are four warriors back to back, four animals around them- the bear, the wolf, the elk, and the bison- and an eagle at the top. I find that the monument is best photographed in morning.

38 comments:

  1. The Animals In War Memorial speaks well of the Canadian spirit

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  2. The Aboriginal Veterans Monument is an amazing bit of work.

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  3. Thank you for sharing this. It is very impressive, especially the last one and great to also honor the animals.
    What might the real dog´ve thought?

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  4. Animals are too often forgotten victims of wars...

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  5. When one learns the reasons for the design of the totem pole and the significance of it all, it becomes an incredible experience, tinged with reverence and empathy and is really quite profound.

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  6. It will look better in mid-May. 😇

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  7. Nice monuments and sculptures. I especially love the totem and the dog. Take care, enjoy your day!

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  8. Son de diferentes estilos, pero todos son obras de arte. El primero, me parece bastante original.

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  9. Wonderful shots of the monuments in winter comditions.

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  10. It would be hard to pick a favourite from these monuments. Thanks for showing them, William.

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  11. Oh wonderful wintery photos and marvelous tributes with statues ~ of course, especially like the dog one


    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  12. The totem pole is nice to see.

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  13. You find amazing statues! It'd be interesting to compare the views in various seasons!

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