GTA honours the victims of 9-11
Posted September 11, 2011 10:46 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – Emergency services and people from across the GTA paused to remember those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks in a number of ceremonies throughout Sunday morning and early afternoon.
At Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair, Fire Chief Bill Stewart and EMS Chief Paul Raftis stood alongside other emergency workers to remember and honour those who died in the line of duty. A 21-gun salute was fired at the event, which got underway around 9:45 a.m. Sunday morning.
The flag was lowered to half-mast at Nathan Phillips Square, and will remain that way for the remainder of the day.
Markham and York fire, police and EMS held a service at the York Region administration office in Newmarket, while Mississauga firefighters held ceremonies at each of their fire stations beginning around 10:00 a.m.
“There’s an old saying among firefighters, when everyone else is rushing out, firefighters are running in to do their jobs,” said John, who is a retired Toronto firefighter.
A ceremony also took place at the Timothy Eaton church in the Avenue Road and St. Clair Avenue area around 9:15 a.m. Sunday morning, where a sermon called “9-11 Revisited” was delivered by Reverend Andrew Sterling.
A memorial ceremony at the Millenium Gardens, located near Eastern and Coxwell Avenues, took place around 1 p.m., honouring those Canadians who lost their lives in the attacks.
The Millennium Gardens contains the only memorial park in Canada dedicated to commemorating the memory of the 24 Canadians who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks.
Retired fire captain Jim McGregor was expected to perform a reading at the ceremony
A moment of silence was also observed during a noon ceremony on the Winchester Stage at the Cabbagetown Festival.
