A First World War veteran is being honoured with a plaque in Snye Point Park.
C.H. ‘Punch’ Dickins was recognized on Friday by the RMWB, Parks Canada, and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada in front of a packed crowd.
Dickins was a distinguished pilot with the Royal Flying Corps during the Great War and a pioneering bush pilot in Canada’s North during the 1920s and 1930s.
“On behalf of the Government of Canada, I am pleased to commemorate the national historic significance of ‘Punch’ Dickins,” said Dr. Joe Anderson, Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada Representative for Alberta.
“His accomplishments during his career as a skilled pilot certainly elevated Canada to a world leader in frontier aviation. Historic designations reflect Canada’s rich and varied history and I encourage all Canadians to learn more about ‘Punch’ Dickins’ important contributions to Canada’s heritage.”
A float plane similar to the one flown by Dickins circled the ceremony to kickoff the event.
Students from cole Dickinsfield School, which is named after the pilot, also paid homage to Dickins by singing O Canada in English and French.
“His life has been celebrated in Fort McMurray in more ways than one but this is a great monument, it’s going to be a permanent reminder of that great life,” added Mayor Don Scott.
Residents can now visit the plaque in Snye Point Park.