Ad-Astra-Background - Air Force Association of Canada

March 19, 2015
LCol (Ret’d) Dean Black
Executive Director
Air Force Association of Canada
PO Box 2460
Ottawa ON
K1P 5W6
Dear Dean,
GRIESBACH RCAF COMMEMORATIVE SOCIETY
PROJECT SUMMARY & BACKGROUND
The Griesbach RCAF Commemorative Society is leading a project to create a commemorative
park within the public use area of the Village at Griesbach, a major housing development on the
former military site known as Griesbach, which was originally part of CFB Edmonton.
Just as the Army and the Navy have established notable tributes to their history and heritage in
their public use areas of the development, so too will the RCAF Commemorative Park honour the
men and women who have served, are serving or will serve in Canada’s Air Force. Canada Lands,
the developer, has been very supportive. However, the critical centrepiece for the park, the Ad
Astra Monument, and the related storyboards are the total responsibility of the Society.
The progress on the RCAF Commemorative Park is noteworthy and we are on track for the
dedication of the monument and site on the 70 th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain on September
20, 2015.
There are three specific elements to the Commemorative Park. They are as follows:
Street Names:
The City of Edmonton street naming committee has approved the naming of thirteen streets in the
Air Force area for Canadians with an Albertan connection who have made outstanding
contributions to Canada’s military aviation heritage. Canadians have set an enviable military
aviation record since World War I to the present. This record is represented in the cross-section of
names selected. Bronze plaques, which explain their achievements, will be installed on each of the
streets that bear their name.
Plazas:
The three plazas, which are the viewpoints and rest areas, are the main elements of the park and
are now being installed along the multi-use pathway that overlooks Roundel Lake. They are:
 The Mosquito Plaza - formed in the shape of a Mosquito fighter-bomber used by 418 (City of
Edmonton) Squadron during WWII;
 The Griffon Plaza - formed in the shape of a Griffon helicopter, the principal aircraft used by
408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron. Based in Edmonton for nearly 50 years, 408 has been the
only RCAF unit in the Edmonton area since 1992; and
 The Ad Astra Plaza - the principal element of the park. A symbolic runway connects
representations of the legendary Spitfire, the Avro Arrow and the C-130 Hercules transport
aircraft used by 435 Transport Squadron in Edmonton from the early 1960’s to 1992.
The Ad Astra Monument:
In the middle of the “runway”, a centrepiece representing a “star burst” – an aerobatic manoeuvre
familiar to millions of air show observers – is surrounded by four monument grade granite
storyboards that give a summary history of Canada’s Air Force and Edmonton’s century-long
association with the Air Force.
The Monument will be the highlight of the Park. The City has approved the design and installation
of the stunning ten-meter high, stainless steel and black granite monument. Foundation for the
monument was poured in August of 2014 and fabrication is now underway. The contract for the
seven storyboards has been let and the final design, images and narrative using the Air Force
Association’s Magazine cloud background from a recent issue, will be forwarded to the contractor
next week.
Financing the Ad Astra Monument and related story boards is ongoing. A quick summary follows:
 Total cost for the monument and storyboards is $215,000;
 Donations already received amount to $179,000; and we are awaiting a response from
the Provincial Government to a grant application made in 2014.
 We are on budget and on schedule to complete our fundraising.
To facilitate donations from donors, we would like to utilize the kind assistance and co-operation of
the RCAF ASSOCIATION TRUST to generate a charitable tax receipt to donors commensurate
with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. The recipient organization would be “The Griesbach
RCAF Commemorative Park Society”, an Alberta registered society #22810671.
The Trust’s support in facilitating the completion of our project would be much appreciated.
Thanks for your help.
Cheers,
Bill
William Buckham
Brigadier-General (Ret’d)
President
----------------------------------------------------------------------Griesbach RCAF Commemorative Society
53 Glen Meadow Crescent, St. Albert, Alberta, T8N 3A2
Tel: 780-459-5502
Email: wbuckham@shaw.ca