Fonds PR-291 - Memorial Avenue Committee fonds

Identity area

Reference code

PR-291

Title

Memorial Avenue Committee fonds

Date(s)

  • 2014-2019 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

11 cm of textual records.
6 photographs (jpeg).
3 video recordings (mov, 3.23 MB or smaller).

Context area

Name of creator

Administrative history

Following the end of World War One in 1918, Canada began erecting statues and cenotaphs to honour the memory of its war dead. Out of this arose proposals for a ‘Road of Remembrance’, or ‘Memorial Avenue’ to serve as a tribute to fallen soldiers. Shelbourne Street became the first such Road of Remembrance in Canada and was formally dedicated on the afternoon of October 2, 1921. The ceremony was held near the entrance to Mount Douglas Park where 7,000 people arrived to hear speeches by BC’s Premier John Oliver and Lieutenant Governor Walter Nichol who said: “he who plants a tree plants a hope”. The original intention was that Shelbourne Street should include one tree for every British Columbian who fell in the war. Some 600 trees were planted but that number would prove insufficient as ten times as many men and women from British Columbia died in the Great War. On September 29, 2018, the Memorial Avenue Committee, led by Saanich residents Ray Travers and Mary-Jane Shaw, organized a re-dedication ceremony and commemoration of the 1918 Armistice. The ceremony included a traditional First Nations blessing and speeches by BC’s Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin, MP Murray Rankin, MLA Andrew Weaver, and Saanich Mayor Richard Atwell. In advance of the event, Saanich installed 30 Memorial Avenue sign toppers along Shelbourne Street.

Repository

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Donated in multiple accessions in 2018 and 2019.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of memos, correspondence, and minutes relating to the Shelbourne Memorial Avenue Rededication event held on September 29, 2018. Fonds includes digital photographs and video recordings of the event. Includes newspaper clippings, articles and notes.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

Further accruals expected.

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

No restrictions on access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Generated finding aid

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Accession No. 2018-027, 2019-004; 2023-008.

Alternative identifier(s)

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area