Location
Veterans Boulevard (Main Street to 8th Street)Find it

The Veterans Memorial will honour those who have given military service. It will include 30 railing panels and 22 light pole banners along Veterans Boulevard. As well as two silhouettes, two benches and a nautical flagpole. The intricate design of these pieces was inspired by the stories of local service men. Their stories tie into the unified representation of our Veterans across air, land and sea. Glimpses of each of their stories is present through the details of the metal artwork. 

Sept. 20, 2025 I 1 - 2 p.m.
Veterans Boulevard Nautical flag pole (near 8th St.)

Join us as we dedicate the Veterans Memorial to those who have given military service. We honour their courage and dedication, celebrate their service, remember their sacrifices and ensure their legacy lives on. All community members are welcome to attend this meaningful tribute to our local heroes.

Parking is limited, please carpool or utilize active transportation methods such as walking and biking, as possible.

Larry Skaalrud

At 18, Larry enlisted in the Canadian Navy. His first deployment came just a year later, at 19, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Larry served aboard the HMCS McKenzie, intercepting Cuban ships, looking for weapons. And also was deployed to Vietnam in 1973 for a tour of duty. Over the course of his career, Larry served on a total of seven destroyers and several submarines, spending up to 29 days submerged at a time. Larry loved the variety of his Naval career, but the sacrifice of being away from home for an average of 274 days a year took a toll on his family.

After 33 years of service, Larry found the transition to civilian life difficult, especially as he struggled with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He found purpose in volunteering with Ducks Unlimited, Citizens on Patrol and Community Links. Volunteering became his way forward, helping him cope while staying connected to his fellow veterans and the bonds formed during his military service. Though his time in the Navy is over, Larry believes that once you're a veteran, you're always a veteran and he continues to honour those lifelong ties.

Keith Shaw

Keith enlisted in the Canadian Army at the age of 17, embarking on a distinguished 28-year military career. He trained as a Combat Engineer and, early on, qualified as a Paratrooper. He was subsequently posted to the elite Canadian Airborne Regiment, where he earned additional qualifications as a Combat Diver and Patrol Pathfinder, serving in both specialized roles.

During his time with the Canadian Airborne Regiment, Keith sustained an injury that led to his reassignment to the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in Chilliwack. There, he served as an instructor in engineering and also worked as an Explosive Technician with 25 EOD Centre.

Later, Keith was posted to a regiment in Germany, where he served as the Engineer Intelligence Officer. However, it became clear that his earlier injury would prevent further field deployment, and he was reassigned to a garrison position in Calgary. Following this posting, Keith retired from military service.

Not one to remain idle, Keith embarked on a second career as a Correctional Officer, which spanned 22 years.

Throughout his military service, Keith was deployed to numerous countries and locations, including Cyprus, Germany, Norway, Great Britain, and the United States. Notably, he served as a diving instructor with the 10th and 11th U.S. Army Special Forces, further highlighting the breadth and depth of his expertise.

Domenico DiGivannantonio

Domenico joined the military in 1983, craving a fast-paced life outside of a traditional office. With his background in computer programming, he found his place in the Signals Regiment where he repaired communications systems, radar and other electronics in the field. Over 35 years, he served at home in Canada and abroad - spending time in Italy, Germany, Alaska, South America, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Though he loved exploring new cultures, the constant relocations were tough on his family who followed him across Canada from one posting to the next. After retiring in 2018, Domenico found unexpected peace working at Queen’s Park Cemetery in Calgary. The physical labour and quiet days helped him cope and settle back into civilian life. He says he’s not the same person who left for Afghanistan and knows the scars he carries may fade but will never completely disappear.

George Pambrun - 'Returning Home'

Artist Statement written by Andrew Holloway
These pieces represent bringing the fallen Indigenous spirits home. In Indigenous culture, the spirit lives on after the physical body passes on. The inspiration for this piece comes from George, an Indigenous Veteran from Alberta. He has had ceremonies to bring his fallen comrades' spirits home, after the war.

The pieces represent that idea that the spirits need to come home. The tipi with the smoke bellowing from the top represents home, a beacon to return to family. The dancers, both male and female, in the tipi are celebrating the spirits arrival. Along with a medicine man conducting the ceremony, the drummer singing the spiritual songs by his side. There are two children representing the future of Indigenous people, as well as the next generation learning and being able to continue these ceremonies. The eagle below, representing creator, is the guide to help these fallen soldiers find home, where their final resting place will be. The designs that the smoke is flowing into represents the energy that the dancers are giving out, all while showing the happiness and beauty of the spirits arrival.

The stories that George has shared have informed me of the Indigenous side of war Veterans, as well as the true sacrifices that these Veterans are making. It is so important that the spirits find their way home, so they and their loved ones can finally be at peace and rest.

This project was funded in part through the Government of Alberta, in partnership with the Royal Canadian Legion #288 Airdrie.