It doesn’t go unnoticed to workers at Subzero Blasting in Colborne the meaning behind a memorial they are refurbishing in honour of a Cobourg Police officer.
“Hero’s Flight” is a memorial located Chris Garrett Memorial Park, located on Birchwood Trail just north of Elgin Street in Cobourg.
It is named in honour of Cst. Chris Garrett #221, who was killed in the line of duty in the early hours of May 15th, 2004, while protecting the citizens of the Town of Cobourg.
Though mortally wounded, Garrett shot the assailant in the leg. He was arrested and later convicted of first degree murder.
Constable Chris Garrett Memorial Park is 5.46 acres and the memorial was dedicated on May 15, 2005.
Over 20-years have passed, and the memorial was showing its age with rust and deterioration.
Subzero Blasting (SZB) approached the town about restoring Hero’s Flight to its former glory.
President of SZB, Gord Giannandrea said he remembers vividly when he heard Garrett was murdered and the following days the shock that reverberated throughout Cobourg.
“Everybody from the area remembers that day that Chris Garrett lost his life. I was building a fence at my house that weekend, and I remember waking up early that morning to get back to work on it. As soon as I stepped outside, I could hear helicopters—more than one—and I immediately knew something serious was happening. There were news helicopters, the OPP helicopter—it was clear something was out of the ordinary in town.”
Giannandrea said it didn’t take long before the devastating news spread.
“I was in disbelief. What happened that day was tragic beyond words, and as more details came out in the days and weeks that followed, it felt like something out of a movie. To learn about the horrifying plans the killer had—and how Constable Garrett bravely intervened and prevented something far worse—was both chilling and incredibly heroic. He truly was a hero.”
“I’ll never forget that day. I’ll never forget the massive funeral, the emotions in the town, and the outpouring of support. That moment has stayed with me ever since.”
Cobourg has grown a lot since then, and I know many people who now call this town home might not know the full story—about the evil that took place, the bravery that stopped it, and the ultimate sacrifice that was made. It’s a story that deserves to be told and never forgotten.”
When Giannandrea saw a story in Today’s Northumberland about the memorial recently, he noticed the corrosion and rust and approached the town.
“I reached out and said, “let’s get this better than its original condition.”
The sculpture of 24-birds was dismantled by Cobourg Parks Department and transports to SZB in Colborne.
Workers at SZB take pride in every project, but even Manager, Andrew Stuart who has been working on the restoration realizes said this has special meaning behind Hero’s Flight.
The first part is sandblasting the birds down to the bare metal and removing the rust which gives the metal a “profile.”
An epoxy primer was then sprayed on which Giannandrea said, “locks in that steel, locks in that metal to protect it.”
The final phase is spraying on a urethane metallic paint.
“Each step it gets better and better. The first step is you get rid of the corrosion and it looks amazing – but then you have to protect it again.”
“Being part of restoring Constable Garrett’s memorial is something I’m incredibly proud of. It means a lot to me, and it means a lot to this community. Garrett and his family deserve that respect and remembrance.”
A inscription about Garrett and the memorial is located just in front of Hero’s Flight.
Hero’s Flight, is a composition of twenty-four birds that was created by world renowned sculptor Gerald Gladstone.
Gladstone passed away in February 2005, just a few months before the unveiling.
“This sculpture composition of twenty-four bird forms is an expression of life in random action, as was Chris Garrett’s. Always soaring upward, they symbolize a “Hero’s Flight,” said Gladstone about his artwork.
The memorial consists of 24 steel birds, arching in a 14 foot high letter C, as they take flight. The letter C is for Const. Garrett’s first name, Chris, and the 24 birds represent the date of Garrett’s death, May 15, 2004, the fifteenth day of the fifth month in the fourth year.
Every year, the National Peace Officers’ Memorial “Run to Remember” at the Chris Garrett Memorial Park on the first leg of their three day journey to Ottawa.
From the first time the runners ended the day in Cobourg, each one touched the monument in a symbolic gesture of never forgetting.
It’s expected the memorial will be reinstalled in the following week.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
