Veteran’s Cemetery in Esquimalt, BC

Esquimalt Veteran's Cemetery

It was a big day for one of LEES+Associate’s flagship projects!

The Minister of Veteran’s Affairs, Lawrence MacAulay was at the Veteran’s Cemetery (previously known as God’s Acre) in Esquimalt, BC to celebrate the completion of significant upgrades to this sacred burial ground.

Originally a burial ground for Canadian Navy men and women, God’s Acre has been the burial ground for Canadian Army, Navy and Air Services personnel for decades. The first burial at the cemetery was in 1868.

The expansion includes 1400 new columbaria, a scattering garden and room for burying cremated remains. As well, new paving, curbs and signage have been installed with finishing touches expected by the end of March.

LEES+Associates is honoured to be the landscape architects on the God’s Acre expansion project; we are proud of our work for Canadian veterans over the last two decades.

Official opening of the cemetery will take place on May 28th, during the annual Candlelight Ceremony honouring veterans and serving members.

God’s Acre Veterans Cemetery, a national historic site, is located off Colville Road inside Gorge Vale Golf Course.
Esquimalt Veteran's Cemetery
Esquimalt Veteran's Cemetery

Esquimalt Veteran's Cemetery
Esquimalt Veteran's Cemetery

Lake Cowichan’s Ts’uubaa-asatx Square

Lake Cowichan Ts'uubaa-asatx Square

Making a place for art!

LEES+Associates prepared the final concept and construction drawings for a proposed new town square in the Town of Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island. The community wanted to include a place for public art within the square, but by the time the project went to construction, what that art would be had not yet been determined.

The strategy was to provide a flexible landscaped space within the central roundabout of the square. In-ground lighting and a removable cobble surface were installed to permit a future installation.

Lake Cowichan Ts'uubaa-asatx Square

Lake Cowichan Ts'uubaa-asatx Square

That installation took place in November 2015, with the ceremonial raising of a stunning, monumental totem pole. Carved by Hupacasath artist and historian Ron Hamilton, the pole was presented to the Town of Lake Cowichan by Chief Livingstone as a gift from the Lake Cowichan First Nation:

“’Our pole will reflect the past, present and future of our community,’ said Chief’s Livingstone’s wife, Hakuum. The top of the pole features three faces. Hamilton explained that one face represents Ts’uubaa-asatx people of the past, the ancestors.”

And it was for this face that the new square was named, Ts’uubaa-asatx Square.

Quote from Ha-Shilth-Sa article covering the ceremony.

Lake Cowichan Ts'uubaa-asatx Square