Remembrance Day

Coquitlam’s traditional Remembrance Day ceremony and parade, hosted by the Coquitlam Royal Canadian Legion Branch 263, will be held on November 11 at 11 a.m. and anyone wishing to pay their respects is welcome. The parade will begin at Como Lake Middle School (1121 King Albert Avenue) at approximately 10:30 a.m. and will continue with a ceremony at the Blue Mountain Park Cenotaph (975 King Albert Street) starting at approximately 11 a.m.

Honouring Veterans in Meaningful Ways

Residents are encouraged to show their respect for veterans who have served our nation in times of war and military conflict. The Park Spark Coquitlam Remembers program provides a variety of ways for the community to recognize their achievements and sacrifices :

  • Poppy Painting and Messages of Remembrance along Veteran's Way: Stop by Blue Mountain Park (975 King Albert Avenue) to paint a large poppy on the grass along Veteran’s Way as part of a temporary display. While you are there, write a message of remembrance and tie it to a tree with yellow ribbon. The messages are kept on the trees until November 18 at which point they will be transcribed and forwarded to Canadian veteran groups. Participation takes place from Friday, November 1 to Sunday, November 10 at various times. 
  • Poppy Painting at Spirit Square: Join us at Spirit Square on Burlington Drive, across the street from Coquitlam City Hall, on Thursday, November 7 from 1:30 – 4 p.m. to add your painted poppy to the temporary outdoor display. 

Other Opportunities to Mark Remembrance Day

Register for other Remembrance Day events and activities including:

  • Dogwood Pavilion – Remembrance Day Concert: Join the Vancouver Naval Veterans Band to recognize Remembrance Day on Wednesday, November 6 from 1:15 – 2:45 p.m., as they perform musical favourites from years past. Registration includes light refreshments. For more information or to register, search Course ID 00160635 at coquitlam.ca/registration.
  • Dogwood Pavilion – Remembrance Day Tea: On Saturday, November 11 from 12:30 – 2 p.m., join staff for an afternoon tea to recognize Remembrance Day. There will be live entertainment and opportunities to share poems and stories. For more information or to register, search Course ID 00160633 at coquitlam.ca/registration.

Veteran Experiences – Indigenous and Racialized Communities 

November 8 is National Indigenous Veterans Day in Canada and honours the many First Nations, Inuit and Métis soldiers, and their contributions and sacrifices to military service.

Many Indigenous Peoples and racialized people proudly served in uniform despite facing discrimination and racism. During the First World War, more than 4,000 Indigenous soldiers served in uniform and in the Second World War more than 3,000 First Nations members, as well as an unknown number of Métis, Inuit and other Indigenous recruits, served. The call for military service was answered once more during the Korean War (1950-53).

First commemorated in 1994, National Indigenous Veterans Day invites Canadians to better understand the role Indigenous veterans have played in Canadian history and honour their sacrifices. 

To learn more, visit veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans. 

Other racialized groups also played integral roles prior to and during the First and Second World Wars. To learn more about these often unheard military stories, visit veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories.

Honouring Veterans Throughout the Year

The City commemorates the lives of fallen Coquitlam soldiers on rolls of honour on the second floor of City Hall, and at the cenotaph at Blue Mountain Park, open year-round. Those who wish to visit the cenotaph for a moment of silence or to lay a wreath to commemorate Remembrance Day are encouraged to do so before or after November 11 to help prevent gatherings.

Coquitlam continues to provide free parking in City lots and street parking spaces for those displaying a veteran’s licence plate, a tradition started in 2006. For information, visit the Parking Regulations section on our website. 

Find other ways to honour veterans in meaningful ways this Remembrance Day here.