Standard Freeholder
by Kevin Lajoie
CORNWALL -- The Morrisburg area will be front and centre as Ontario marks the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 a few years from now.
A series of major events and activities are now being planned to commemorate the pivotal conflict in Canada's history, and one of those events will take place near Upper Canada Village at Crysler Park, where a monument now stands in honour of the Battle of Crysler's Farm.
The battle -- fought on Nov. 11, 1813--saw a group of British and Canadian troops defeat a much larger American force, thereby preventing them from invading Montreal. If the outcome of the battle had been different, Canadians could actually be Americans today, noted Jan Bonhomme.
"It was a real pivotal moment (in Canadian history)," said Bonhomme, the executive director of the St. Lawrence War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance.
Bonhomme said they will be holding a signature event in Morrisburg in 2013 to mark the bicentennial of the Battle of Crysler's Farm, and she expects the event will draw thousands of people to the area.
The St. Lawrence War of 1812 Bicentennial Alliance was formed earlier this year to begin planning for the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. The board is made up of officials and tourism representatives from the Cornwall area west to Kingston, and they are also working with their American counterparts to help coordinate activities.
Bonhomme said the bicentennial will not only serve to commemorate the battles themselves, but to also raise awareness about an important chapter in Canadian history and to celebrate 200 years of peace and happiness with our American neighbours.
During the conflict, she noted, English, French and First Nations peoples fought alongside one another in defence of Canada -- a fact which helped shape the country's identity.
To help spread the word, the group is hoping to partner with existing events and festivals throughout the area to have a War of 1812 theme added to those events. They're also hoping to add to the existing curriculum in local schools to help shed light on the War of 1812, and the idea is to bring the story to life with the help of militia outfits and various other artifacts.
"We want to celebrate all of this through living history opportunities," Bonhomme said.
Bonhomme said Canadians tend to take their heritage for granted, but she's hoping people will take the time to get involved in the War of 1812 activities.
Source: Standard Freeholder