City plants oak trees to honour Canadians

BEACONSFIELD, QUÉBEC--(Marketwired - June 19, 2017) - The City of Beaconsfield commemorated the 100^th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge by planting two Vimy oak trees in Heroes Park on Shore Road. This battle took place on April 9, 1917 during the First World War. It is commonly recognized as a turning point in Canadian history, as four Canadian divisions fought for the first time as a unified combat force.

"These oak trees represent a memory, but also represent life. They represent the memory of the Battle of Vimy, which deeply impacted our country, and they also recognize a special connection between France and Canada. And of course, there's the environmental aspect of planting trees," said Mayor Georges Bourelle.

Heroes Park is home to a community cenotaph commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the First World War and honouring men and women in uniform who served in times of war and peace, as well as all police officers, firefighters, paramedics and first responders who have served our community.

History - Vimy Oaks

After the Battle of Vimy Ridge was won, Leslie Miller, born in 1889 in Milliken, ON, looked around for a souvenir on the Ridge, which was completely devoid of structures or vegetation due to shell fire but he did find a half buried oak tree. He gathered up a handful of acorns. Those acorns were subsequently planted by him on farmland which is now home to the Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church. He called his farm the 'Vimy Oaks Farm'. Today, several of the original oaks survive. However, there are no original oaks on the Vimy Ridge site.

The Vimy Oaks Team is working, in partnership with the Vimy Foundation, to repatriate these Vimy Oaks of Scarborough-Agincourt back to Vimy, France, to help preserve Canada's WWI legacy through the creation of a living memorial, planted in France for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. To learn more, visit vimyfoundation.ca.