It looks out of place behind the Port Moody Station Museum next to the Murray Street overpass, where cars pass by and rarely slow down to take a look at the hard work below.
But there, in authentic detail, is what looks like a severely bombed no-man's land and a trench, where WW i soldiers would have eaten, slept and nursed their wounds had this been Belgium in 1915 and not PoMo 100 years later.
"It's been a lot of work, for sure," says Guy Black, who dreamed up the idea of building the trench to honour Port Moody engineer August McKnight, who died in WW i. The project, which took more than 1,000 hours to dig and build over several months this winter, will also be used as an educational tool for people wanting to know more abut Canada's involvement in the Great War, which took place in Europe in the previous century.
Many thousands of Canadians died oversees, including McKnight, who was the city's engineer, before he enlisted with the 6 Field Company Canadian Engineers.
To recreate the trench, Black organized several volunteers, including local cadets, who dug dirt, filled sandbags and built shelters for the project.
This Saturday, April 4, it will be open to the public during a special ceremony at 2 p.m. at the Port Moody Station Museum. Members of the public are welcome.
visit www.portmoodystationmuseum.org for details and to organize and educational tour.
