By Cecilia Nasmith

The Town of Cobourg recently applied for and received a Light Armoured Vehicle III Monument to honour the service and sacrifice of Canada's Armed Forces in Afghanistan.

Known as the LAV III Monument, it is due to arrive next fall. The town's press release said it will become the centrepiece of a brand-new gateway into Cobourg's Northam Industrial Park.

The LAV III Monument Program was established to commemorate Canada's mission to Afghanistan. Communities successful in their applications (including Cobourg) will receive full-sized decommissioned replica LAV III vehicles donated by the Government of Canada to be used as centrepieces for local monuments. LAV IIIs are the iconic vehicles used by Canadian forces during deployment to Afghanistan.

Mayor Gil Brocanier said the town is honoured to become home to one of these national monuments.

“The LAV III Monument showcases our support of the Canadian Armed Forces and the sacrifices our men and women have made for our country,” the mayor said.

The brand-new Northam Industrial Park gateway where the monument will be located is at the intersection of the new Kerr Street extension and West Street. It will also include a relocated plaque with the original coat of arms of the No. 26 Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps military facility for which the Northam Industrial Park was originally the base from 1954 through 1970 (and for which the houses in the Habitat For Humanity Northumberland development on Alexandria Drive were built as housing for base personnel).

The No. 26 Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps was commanded by Major Angus Read, who became Cobourg's mayor in 1985.

The new gateway will be a tribute both to the men and women who served on this site, but also to those residents who served Canada in the many military engagements throughout the town's 180-year history.