LAV3 Monument program

[Scott Bentley]

Originally Posted by Darrell Zinck

Could be a 'yote. Technically a LAV II.

True... I thought about that after the fact but couldn't imagine them giving the Dragoons so much of the glory

[Stewart Loy]

Gents,

My wife was in to the dentist this morning, and saw this in the local paper:

MONUMENTS
Replicas of London-made vehicles will be offered to cities across Canada 6

By Norman DeBono, The London Free Press
Monday, November 10, 2014 10:30:15 EST PM

London-made light-armoured vehicles will roll out across the country as a tribute to Canada’s armed forces.

Replicas of the LAV III, the iconic rolling armour visible throughout the war in Afghanistan, are being offered to communities and businesses across Canada as a monument, to be displayed in parks or community settings, much like the Holy Roller tank on display in Victoria Park in London.

“We are very proud of the fact we build the LAV IIIs, the best armoured vehicles in the world

. . . a powerful symbol of the deployment of Canadian soldiers in conflict,” said Ken Yamashita, spokesperson for General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) Canada, which makes the armour.

“They are built by Canadians for Canadians. It is a powerful symbol being sent out to various communities.”

Canada Company, a non-profit Ottawa-based agency that supports armed forces personnel, is spearheading the program, offering 250 vehicles costing anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000, depending on where they have to be shipped.

Assembly will begin in the new year and replica LAVs will go on display in the spring.

It’s a true London community effort. The replicas will be made from spare parts of light-armoured vehicles now at the GDLS Canada plant on Oxford St., and will be assembled by Fanshawe College technology students.

GDLS has parts available because it’s upgrading the Canadian fleet. Any unavailable parts will be manufactured by Fanshawe students. The replica vehicles will be painted at Militex on Huron St.

“In addition to this being a learning opportunity, we have the opportunity to participate in a huge demonstration of respect for the contributions made in Afghanistan,” said Vertha Coligan, dean of technology at Fanshawe.

Students in welding, manufacturing technologies and engineering programs will participate.

“It’s a fantastic program. We are getting a lot of interest already from municipalities,” said Donna Mills, a spokesperson for Canada Company.

The replicas, essentially a shell of an exisitng LAV, will be moved by rail or flat bed to communities wanting one, she added.

The project is the brainchild of Tom Jenkins, chief executive of Open Text, the Waterloo-based software company that engaged Canada Company in the effort, Mills said.

London Mayor Joni Baechler said the city should consider buying one of the monuments and placing it in a prominent site to honour London workers and veterans. “It is an opportunity to have a touchstone for our veterans who have served,” she said.

norman.debono@sunmedia.ca

I will see what they are saying at the plant when I get back in the morning after taking the day off to remember.

Stewart

[jason meade]

I think I will wait for the real one, replicas scare me.