The fences are down and the barriers are finally gone from one of Ottawa’s most iconic sites, just in time for Remembrance Day.
The National War Memorial on Elgin Street was reopened to the public Friday after being closed seven months for repairs.
As part of the $3.2-million restoration project, the paving and concrete slabs surrounding the memorial were repaired and the bronze statues were refurbished. As well, The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier underwent preservation work.
This recently completed work was the second phase of renovations. In 2014, nearly $3 millon was invested in the memorial to reinforce steel and repair concrete in a crawlspace underneath the monument.
The National War Memorial, officially unveiled in Ottawa on May 21, 1939, was originally intended to honour the Canadian veterans who had served in the First World War. It was later re-dedicated to honour all Canadian soldiers who have lost their lives serving in war.
At 21 metres tall and with an initial cost of $1.3 million to construct, the granite monument features bronze sculptures emerging from a large arch, each representing different branches of the Canadian Forces that served in the First World War. A winged statue sits on top of the arch to represent peace and liberty, and The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – a four-metre-long sarcophagus resting at the base of the arch – contains the remains of an unidentified Canadian soldier from a war cemetery near Vimy Ridge, France.
The memorial now also includes a plaque honouring Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was shot to death while standing guard at the National War Memorial on Oct. 22, 2014.