The Beautiful Town: An Introduction of Sorts

Photo Credit: Cheryl Duffy

Belleville, Ontario is my hometown. Its history is rich and the community has created many public monuments and memorials. Perhaps its closeness to the Trenton Air Base (Canada's largest forces base) has made the links to Canada and its soldiers one of the most common threads in its heritage monuments.


Today I decided that my parents and I should take some time to examine Belleville's history through the memories the city has constructed for its citizens. Belleville is a defined place. It has borders and surrounding towns. This is not enough to create an identity for the residents of Belleville. There must be a shared sense of memories and community in order to create an identity for our town.


Belleville celebrates its history within the Canadian Forces in many ways. One of these is the Belleville Armoury which tells the story of The Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment in its Regimental Museum. This museum tells residents about the local soldiers who have fought in the Canadian Forces. The city of Belleville recognizes the sacrifices that its residents have made for larger national goals but has made the sacrifice not just an individual one, but a municipal sacrifice as well. Located on the World War Two monument outside the Belleville Armoury is the Hastings& Prince Edward County coat of arms as well as the names of those lost in the war. 

Belleville Armoury
Photo Credit: Anne Duffy

World War Two Monument
Photo Credit: Cheryl Duffy

The story in these memories is that Belleville has given its men and its resources to a national story. However, in this sacrifice is a story for the people of Belleville as well. The story of Canada's largest wars did not play out on just a national scale. They were also a local story for residents of Belleville. The war had cost them relatives, and some their lives. These deaths influenced the community, and the community then constructed memorials to remember those who had given their lives, those who had gone, and the impact it had on the community as a whole.


It is not just the Belleville Armoury that recognizes the sacrifice of the community in Canada's war efforts. Located on Station Street, Memorial Park holds a variety of different monuments for wars and peacekeeping. The Park holds a collective of memories for the people of Belleville. It is not just the World Wars that are represented at Memorial Park but also the Korean War, and peacekeeping efforts.

Belleville's Memorial Park
Photo Credit: Anne Duffy

Wars have created a memory for all residents of Belleville. It's connection to the Canadian Forces is integral to the makeup of Belleville. All over the city are reminders of those who have fought in the Canadian wars and in turn, the impact that has made in the community. War creates a lasting memory on a community and the community then creates a public memory for all to recognize what these sacrifices have accomplished. Belleville's place in history is that of a community close to Canada's war efforts. When Canada has needed its citizens to sacrifice and fight for national goals the people of Belleville have responded.


War and Belleville's close proximity to the Trenton Air Base has created a sense of place in that the residents of Belleville feel a connection to these institutions. This connection, that is felt by residents (or imagined, as some would argue), has led them to erecting monuments to these events in Belleville's history as defining moments and something that is to be remembered by residents long after the wars have ended.

Zwicks Park RCAF Airplane
Photo Credit: Cheryl Duffy