(NEWSFIRST) – On the Commemoration Day of the Armenian Genocide, the City of Laval announced the relocation of the monument dedicated to the memory of the victims.
This artwork by artist Arto Tchakmakchian, part of the City of Laval’s Public Art Collection, will be moved to a more accessible location within Coccinelles Park. This decision follows a preliminary agreement reached with the Joint Laval Committee for the Armenian Genocide Monument.
This significant monument, which commemorates the over 1.5 million victims of the 1915 genocide, has stood since 2013 alongside an off-ramp of Highway 440 on Daniel-Johnson Boulevard. Its new site, chosen through mutual agreement between the City and representatives of the Laval Armenian community, will offer a more fitting environment for reflection and remembrance.
The City of Laval will be responsible for the costs associated with relocating the artwork and its concrete base, developing the new site, restoring the current location, and ensuring the monument’s upkeep and preservation at its new home.
The monument’s form and the inscription engraved on its base will remain unchanged.
“By providing this monument with a more accessible and appropriate location, we reaffirm our solidarity with the Armenian community and our commitment to the values of peace, justice, and recognition,” stated Stéphane Boyer, the Mayor of Laval.
“The Armenian community is an integral part of Laval’s social fabric, and I thank them for their collaboration. This gesture reflects our commitment to preserving and highlighting the sites of memory that shape our collective history.”
“On this day of commemoration, my thoughts go with emotion to all the families marked by the Armenian Genocide,” added Seta Topouzian, the municipal councillor for the Renaud district. “This monument, in its new location, will allow everyone to remember, reflect, and pass on this essential memory to future generations.
