Mother Peace
The first time I was in this area I walked around the corner from parking and stood in awed surprise of this beautiful sculpture. Today when I came to get cords, wanting this to be my virtual cache, I again came around the corner, knowing what I would see, yet still stood in awe. The beauty, the purpose, the story behind the sculpture touches the heart. Its important that we never forget the sacrifices that were made and that future generations learn. Its a virtual cache. Its a memorial. Its a teachable moment.
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"
found at the bottom of the statue John XV 13
Following several years of urging on the part of relatives of Oak Bay's war dead, it was decided a War Memorial was to be built in Uplands Park. It was unveiled Armistice Day, November 11, 1948 by Lieutenant Governor Charles Banks and dedicated by Archdeacon A de L. Nunns and the Reverend WW McPherson.
Municipal Engineer ASG Musgrave oversaw the project and sculptorHames Saull, a former Canadian Airman, who made his home in Victoria after the war, was chosen to design the monument.
Using his wife as the model, Saull created the sculpture in concrete. - with a granite/concrete facing. It faces the water, standing nine feet tall on a rock outcropping with the Garry Oaks of Uplands Park as the backdrop. The designated site features the central figure (Mother Peace) standing looking down, her arms protecting the 97 names of Oak Bay's war dead.
To log this virtual please answer the following questions with photo to CO via geo email:
1) This statue is a tribute to the fallen of what war?
2) In front of the statue are 4 rocks containing plaques. To whom is the second rock from left in honour of?
3) How many natural stone steps lead up to the statue and list of names?
4) To the right of the memorial is the Canadian Flag. What is Mr. Ewing's first name?
5) And of course there is always the option of posting a pic of yourself or a personal marker in front of the memorial. I'd love to see them .
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.