Located next to the pedestrian paths just north of the Bow River, the site chosen for the new memorial commemorating wartime efforts and sacrifices is visually connected to the Mewata Armoury and acts as a destination for both individuals using the park and for large formal processions from the Armoury. Connected to the adjacent public spaces, it is also an important node along the Bow River and Calgary's new Memorial Drive Landscape of Memory.
The design can be read at two scales; an urban marker as perceived from Memorial Drive and as an intimate space for individual and collective reflection. The memorial is integrated into a sculptural earthen berm that connects the various pathway levels. Massive marble slabs mark the site and provide a surface for commemorative inscriptions. Mounted vertically through the balau deck and illuminated from below, the stone transforms the monument into a glowing beacon at night. Below, a folded weathering steel wall and wood deck define the seating and the spatial extents of the new memorial. As the seasons change, the wood and steel contrast with the Bow River and the park landscape's constantly changing colour palette.
