The City of Penticton is advising its residents to take note of the altered operating hours for various public facilities in light of the upcoming Remembrance Day weekend. The Community Centre, McLaren Arena, Penticton Library, and Penticton Museum & Archives will all be closed on Saturday, November 11th, to honor the solemn occasion.
Furthermore, City Hall and City Yards are scheduled to close on Monday, November 13th, in recognition of the statutory holiday.
In remembrance of the service and sacrifice of the nation’s veterans, the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 40 will initiate a parade at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre at 10 a.m. on Saturday. This will be followed by a Remembrance Day ceremony inside the facility at 10:30 a.m. Simultaneously, an outdoor ceremony is set to take place at Veteran’s Park on the 100 block of Main Street, with the community invited to attend either of these commemorative events.
As part of the city’s tributes, Remembrance Day street banners featuring portraits of local war heroes from the First and Second World War have been displayed downtown. These banners serve as a poignant reminder of the local individuals who sacrificed their lives in service during these conflicts.
In an effort to preserve and share the history of the city’s valiant servicemen, the Penticton Museum and Archives has provided biographical information about six local men who lost their lives in service:
- Leonard V. Adams, a Private with the 10th Canadian Mounted Rifles, remembered for his affable nature and his service in the battles of Mount Sorrel, the Somme, and notably at Vimy Ridge, where he fell.
- Lieutenant James Esmond Clarke of the Royal Canadian Artillery, whose young life was cut short during Operation Totalize in Normandy.
- Lieutenant George Clifford DeBeck of the 23rd Royal Fusiliers, a promising young man whose life ended on the battlefield in 1917.
- Trooper Donald B. Hillier of the Fort Garry Horse, remembered for his ultimate sacrifice on D-Day.
- The banners also honor the lives of Pilot Officer Jack H. Sammet of the Royal Canadian Air Force and 2nd Lieutenant William J. Nesbit of the 19th Squadron, Royal Air Force.
These narratives not only recount the bravery and service of these individuals but also reinforce the community’s commitment to remembering the past. The City of Penticton encourages residents and visitors alike to engage in these acts of remembrance and to honour those who have given their lives for peace and freedom.
