Category Archives: 2019 Ontario Police Memorial

On Sunday May 5th 2019, at 11am the 20th annual Ceremony of Remembrance for Ontario’s fallen police officers will occur in downtown Toronto in the area of Queen’s Park Circle.

All 266 names will be read aloud beginning at 10am, by two recruits representing the latest graduating class of Ontario’s finest from the Ontario Police College. Music from the Waterloo Regional Brass Band and songs from members of the Ontario Police Choruses will be performed
prior to the arrival of the Procession of Honour.

Police Pipe Bands will lead officers from across Ontario, the United States of America and Europe in their march along Queen’s Park Crescent, arriving at the steps of the Legislature before 11am for the official start of the annual Ceremony of Remembrance.

Attending the Ceremony will be families and friends of the fallen officers, police officers, dignitaries and the public.

The Ontario Police Memorial Foundation (OPMF), host of the annual Memorial Service, continues with its research to fulfill its goal of ensuring that every fallen officer from Ontario will not be forgotten.

The architectural illumination of the CN Tower will be done in blue light the evening of May 4th to honour police officers in the Province of Ontario who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

The Ontario Police Memorial Foundation will be streaming live throughout the Ceremony on Facebook Live and Youtube Live. Links to watch will be posted on this blog at this link CeremonyOfRemembrance.ca/Live

Official Facebook event can be accessed here Facebook.com/HeroesInLife

Contact Persons:
Mike Adair, Ontario Police Memorial Foundation President 705-715-1226
Organizer Tanis Hurst 647-668-7528
Toronto Police Service Corporate Communications 647-449-2801

Fact Sheet – Ontario Police Memorial

 The Memorial is located in a small park adjacent to the Ontario Legislature, at the
corner of Grosvenor Street and Queen’s Park Crescent.

 The Memorial was built from a grant provided by the Ontario Government. Official
dedication Service May 7th, 2000.

 The Memorial consists of two bronze statues, (approximate 2.5 m), depicting a male
officer in duty dress circa 1950-1990 and a female officer in modern duty dress. The
statues are mounted atop a large granite pedestal base (weighing 30,000 lbs). At the
feet of the statues are eight (8) cascading granite walls. The four – (4) walls on either
side of the main pedestal form a horseshoe shape. The names of all known fallen
officers are inscribed on these walls, the “Wall of Honour”.

 Toronto based artist; Mr. Siggy Puchta is the sculptor of the bronze statues. He has
many awards and accomplishments (1986 he designed the trophy depicting the Calgary
Saddledome for the Calgary Cup Games (pre-Olympic games). In 1991, he was
commissioned to create seven large Canada Geese for the Blue Water Bridge Authority
in Sarnia, Ontario. In 1994, he designed the Marilyn Bell award sculpture).

 The criteria to add a police officer’s name on the “Wall of Honour”:

i. The deceased member must have been a sworn member of a police service.
ii. The Death must have occurred as a result of a traumatic event influenced by an
external agent.
iii. The deceased member must have been on duty at the time of death, or if off
duty, acting in the capacity of a police officer, or the circumstances leading to
the death must have been brought about because of the deceased’s official
status.
iv. The deceased must have acted in good faith in doing everything that could
reasonably have been expected.
v. Notwithstanding all of the above, the Committee may consider any set of
circumstances which lead to a death of a member of a police service.

 266 Officers from Ontario Police Services are named on the Wall of Honour.

 68 Ontario Police Services are named on the Wall of Honour.

 The Ontario Provincial Police have 87 officers named on the Wall of Honour.

 The Toronto Police have 41 officers named on the Wall of Honour.

 

Ontario Police Memorial – 2019 PARADE ORDERS

FORM UP AND BRIEFING:

The 2019 Ontario Police Memorial Service and Parade will be held on Sunday, May 5, 2019. The march to the memorial will begin on Queens Park Avenue, south of Bloor St. West in Toronto.

Marchers must be mustered into their respective Columns and Sections by 10:00 hours.

There will be a Briefing for Parade Marshals and Leaders from various Agencies/Services at 09:30 hours outside the TPS Command Post.

 

BRIEFING GIVEN BY
• Parade Planner
• Parade Officer in Charge
• Parade Marshal

NOTE:
The roadway will be closed to ALL vehicle traffic at 09:15 hours.
The Command post will be situated on the east side of Queen’s Park Crescent, across from the Royal
Ontario Museum.

The parade will form up in 4 columns, in ranks of four:

1. Column A: RCMP, Military Police and OPP

2. Column B: City Police A to Z

3. Column C: Regional Services, A to Z

4. Column D: First Nations Police, Police from other Provinces and Nations, Military, Corrections, EMS, Municipal Services and other agencies.

There will be signs or Marshals in the immediate area to indicate the locations of these columns and sections. The Mounted Unit and the Massed Motorcycles will form up south of the Cenotaph on the west side of Queens Park Crescent.

The parade will form up on Queens Park Avenue near the Royal Ontario Museum, and at 10:15hrs, will STEP OFF. The parade will move south onto Queens Park Cres West, proceed east into the driveway of Queens Park, until directed to stop by the Parade Marshals.

Following the Memorial, there will be a March Past. Participants will be directed by the Marshals and will disperse north of the Parliament Buildings on Queens Park Cres and on Wellesley St. W.

PARKING

Participants may park on Queens Park Cres East, north of Wellesley St. or on surrounding Streets. No parking is permitted on Queens Park Cres West, Queens Park Cres East, south of Wellesley St. or in the form up area near the Royal Ontario Museum.

PARADE

The Parade Marshals will form the parade into four columns of four ranks facing south. The form up will be between 09:00 and 10:00 hours; with unit commanders being positioned in front of their respective police service. The senior officer shall also be positioned in front of their respective units. All companies will be at close order dress prior to moving off. At 10:15 hours the Parade Marshal will call the parade to Attention and begin the Step Off. The Toronto Police will provide marshals to ensure each company stays in their designated location and will provide traffic control for the parade.

MOTORCYCLES

Motorcycles will line up on Hoskin Ave. under the direction of Staff Sgt. Stevenson of TPS and shall begin at the Command of the Parade Marshal at 10:15 hours. At the conclusion of the Service the Columns will “March Past” the Lt. Governor and disperse north of Wellesley St. W.

ORDER OF DRESS

Participating members are encouraged to wear their #1 Dress with Medals and white gloves, or as directed by their organization. Headdress will remain ON for the entire service. Note: The service will take place rain or shine. Please take appropriate measures.

ADMINISTRATION

The administrator for the parade and service is under the authority of the Ontario Police Memorial Foundation.

 

GETTING TO THE 2019 CEREMONY OF REMEMBRANCE ON STEPS OF QUEEN’S PARK – ALLOW PLENTY OF TRAVEL TIME!

The Toronto Marathon is held on the same day as the Memorial and there will be numerous road closures. Extra care is needed when planning your route to Queen’s Park. To the best of our knowledge, the best routes are:

Hwy 401 (Exit at Avenue Road) – Drive S/B to Kilbarry Road. Paid duty officers at these locations will be allowing vehicles to cross between runners, which will allow vehicles to access southbound Oriole Parkway.

Don Valley Parkway (Exit at Bayview/Bloor) – Drive W/B on Bloor Street to Avenue Road. There are closures on Bayview Avenue, so drivers must use Bloor when they get off the DVP.

Hwy 427 (Exit at Dundas Street) – This is a longer route into Toronto, but there should be no road closures.

It is recommended that the Gardiner Expressway be avoided due to numerous road closures at the various exits.

Below are two links that will give you more info on traffic planning

Toronto Marathon

City of Toronto Road Closures

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS

10:00 a.m. – Reading of Honour Roll
10:30 a.m. – Procession of Honour (Parade from Bloor St along Queen’s Park Cr to Provincial Legislature)
11:00 a.m. – Memorial Service
11:50 a.m. – March Past (The Procession of Honour will march past the front of the Legislature). The Lieutenant Governor and Premier will proceed to the viewing area first. Families will join them at the rear of the seating area). Following March Past, the Honour Guard will escort families across the road to the Memorial site.
12:00 p.m. – BBQ Lunch

FAMILY INFORMATION

When you first arrive at the Provincial Legislature, please check in at the Family Table. Memorial staff will greet you and provide you with a program and a family pin (with the white trillium), if you do not already have one. Roses and carnations will be placed around the Memorial and you are free to take one at your convenience. A member of the Honour Guard will escort you to seating. Seating will be on a first come basis. Reserved seating will be arranged for the families of fallen officers honoured in the current year only.

HELPFUL INFORMATION

Parking – Complimentary family parking is available at the rear of the Provincial Legislature. Please email Tanis Hurst, thurst@tpa.ca, for a parking pass.
Parking (Paid) – is available east of the Memorial site on Grosvenor Road.
ROM – (Royal Ontario Museum) is located at 100 Queen’s Park (north of the Memorial site at Bloor Street)
Tim Horton’s – Closest is located at 56 Wellesley St. W. – East of Queens Park Crescent (open 24hrs).
Starbucks – closest is located at 37 Grosvenor Street – East of Memorial site (open at 7:30 a.m.)
TTC – Closest subway is located at Queen’s Park Station at College Street and University Avenue (south of Queen’s Park)
Washrooms – are located at Hepburn Block and at the Provincial Legislature.