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Sunnybrook Thanks Canada's Veterans

November 6, 2008

The Veterans Honour Wall is reflective of Sunnybrook’s legacy as a Veterans hospital, and honours Canadian Veterans while providing an inviting and inspiring entrance for residents and family members of the Veterans Centre.

In honour of the hospital’s 60th Anniversary and Veterans Week, Sunnybrook President & CEO, Dr. Barry McLellan and Brigadier-General John Collin, Land Force Central Area Commander unveiled and dedicated a special memorial wall to Sunnybrook Veterans today.

The Veterans Honour Wall is reflective of Sunnybrook’s legacy as a Veterans hospital, and honours Canadian Veterans while providing an inviting and inspiring entrance for residents and family members of the Veterans Centre.

“This new wall will recognize and remember Canada’s Veterans each and every day of the year.  Hospital staff, visitors, family members, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and school groups who come to visit our Veterans will all stop to pause and reflect. It will serve as a lasting memorial and tribute to a generation of great Canadians,” said Dr. Barry McLellan, President and CEO, Sunnybrook.

The Veterans Honour Wall measuring twenty-eight feet long and is a creative, artistic, endeavour that features the work of renown Canadian woodcarver Siggi Buhler. The focal part of the wall is the large collage of military scenes from the First World War, Second World War and Korean War. Also hand-carved by Buhler are Canada’s military badges (Army, Navy, Air Force and Merchant Navy), along with a historic quote from Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, who gave the key address at the official opening of Sunnybrook Hospital on June 12, 1948.

In the centre of the wall is a beautiful waterfall feature with the words Lest We Forget inlaid in polished solid brass. There is also a history book highlighting the history of Canada’s military services and an overview of Sunnybrook’s history as a Veterans’ Hospital and transformation into a leading health sciences centre. The Nelson Arthur Hyland Foundation generously supported this project.

For Audio and Video Webcasts of the event, please find the links below:

Audio:             http://www.vvcnetwork.ca/sunnybrook/11062008/audio.html
Webcast:         http://www.vvcnetwork.ca/sunnybrook/11062008/

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