The statue was designed by local artists Donna Pascoe and Peter Turrell with input from Canadian Soldiers. Designed to capture the compassion and bravery of our Canadian soldiers, the heartfelt exchange of a Giant Swallowtail butterfly signifies rebirth and new beginnings brought about by change and transformation. The statue is mounted in the centre of a depiction of the Victoria Cross. The highest decoration a soldier can receive, the Victoria Cross is awarded for valour, self-sacrifice, or devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy.

The indigenous Medicine Wheel Garden was contributed by the Dufferin County Cultural Resource Circle. Through interpretive plaques and sacred plantings, the garden brings the traditional teachings of the Medicine Wheel and Indigenous medicines to the community, providing a sacred space for peace and reflection. The centrepiece of the garden is the grandfather rock, brought in from Huntsville and weighing almost 500 kg. The garden is a shared community space where people can learn about Indigenous traditions, walk the circle, smudge a sacred plant, or simply enjoy the garden.

Artist Robert Allen donated this beautiful piece of art featuring oils on tempered glass. Entitled “Remember Always”, the piece includes a large Canadian Maple Leaf with the large stem representing the blood that many have shed for our freedom and the smaller leaves representing those who fell in the line of duty. The grass foreground symbolizes hope and joy. When the light shines through the glass the tones change, and it becomes living art.

Recognizing the multitude of sacrifices made both on the battleground and off, the memorial stone is a tribute to the bravery of our Canadian Armed Forces. The front of the stone features the Canadian Heroes Foundation logo. The Foundation strives to create awareness and support for front line responders, our fallen heroes and their families. The message engraved beneath the logo is a tribute to the courage and selflessness of those who serve our country — past, present and future.

The back of the stone features the artwork of U.S. Armed Forces veteran Danny Hahlbohm, most famous for his painting Footprints in the Sand. This image, entitled “Not Alone”, serves as a poignant reminder of the courage of every individual serving our country.

The Memorial Stone was crafted by Shelburne Memorials Limited.

Inspired by a mother’s loss and sponsored by the Amaranth Lions Club, the playground at Bravery Park captures the essence of freedom – the freedom to play. It features poppies, an interpretive panel and a beautiful image designed by young artist Britten Woolley to poignantly reflect the bravery and resolve of our Canadian soldiers.

Britten’s artwork was selected as the winning entry in the “Make your Mark” Contest hosted by the Bravery Park Committee and Amaranth Lions Club with local secondary schools. A former student of Robert F. Hall Secondary School, Britten currently attends The Ontario College of Art and Design. Each element in her design holds significance and is used to represent the meaning behind Bravery Park.

“The silhouette of the soldier’s bowed head in front of a maple leaf is used to show he is Canadian. I made the design inclusive by creating the shape by the neck to show a collar or hair to honour all genders of our soldiers. The maple leaf fades into doves showing that our soldiers spread peace across the globe.”