New sculpture representing Canada’s military at Trenton ONroute North

The Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign unveiled a new art installation at Trenton ONroute North on Wednesday.

The new art installation is to commemorate the campaign’s achievement of 2.5 million trees planted along the 401 corridor and on the Highway of Heroes since the campaign began in 2015.

“Through the sprawling living tribute, we will leave and have left a lasting legacy to our nation’s heroes and today we add to that legacy by unveiling two spectacular installations. One in Port Hope and the other here in Trenton,” said Chair/President and Co-Founder of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign, Mark Cullen.

“To commemorate the fact that the Highway of Heroes corridor is now reforested with a tree for every military hero, these installations will continue to educate future generations of travellers about the incredible accomplishment of this campaign.”

Chair/President and Co-Founder of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign, Mark Cullen, speaking at a ceremony unveiling monument marking campaign accomplishment. November 9th, 2022. (Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)

Local, provincial and federal government officials as well as military members from CFB Trenton were on hand to congratulate the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign on exceeding its goal of two million trees and for the official unveiling of the new sculpture.

November 9, 2022. (Photo: Zach McGibbon/Quinte News)

“Presence in Absence” was created by sculptor Ruth Abernethy.

The sculpture is made out of bronze with Abernethy saying the installation could last 10,000 years.

“I mean that comes from an actual story of a metalurgist seeking some sort of confirmation of the longevity of this piece and that he got the spirit concise letter saying yes, we believe your piece will last for 10,000 years.”

Abernethy talks about how many Canadian military members are represented.

“In the lineup, I had been asked for an estimate how many portraits,” Abernethy told media members. “How many people do you think you can show on a column that’s three feet across and seven feet high? That’s not an estimate that I have a formula for. I had guessed about 60. In fact, we have 67 heroes from the Canadian military presented here as profile portraits in the negative spaces of it.”

According to Abernethy, one family was already seeking the story of one of the military members represented in the art.

“A moment that was very real for me this morning was in Trenton with a couple who were there looking for their particular person. That portrait mattered immensely to them,” Abernethy said

At the side of the sculpture is a map outlining each story represented on the installation.