Despite the absence of their guest of honour, the HMCS Calgary crew brought a piece of Calgary – cowboy hats and all – to Victoria on June 15.
As the ship celebrates its 30th anniversary, Victoria residents were invited to Ogden Point’s Pier A for a Stampede-style pancake breakfast, live music, road hockey, bouncy castles and tours of HMCS Vancouver, in an all-around celebration of the ships’ shared and storied history.
The day opened with performances by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy before officials from Calgary, Victoria, Esquimalt and the HMCS Calgary crew addressed the crowd. But, as commanding officer Cdr. Matthew Woodburn pointed out, one notable guest was missing.
“The 4,700-ton elephant in the room is that HMCS Calgary wouldn’t be able to be here for her own celebration today,” said Woodburn, who explained that after a major refit and a two-and-a-half-year work period, HMCS Calgary was back in Esquimalt Harbour, entering an extended maintenance phase. He estimated it would be about 10 months before the ship begins its operational readiness program.
Despite Calgary’s absence, HMCS Vancouver was brought to Ogden Point and was open for tours later in the day.
While the day was one of celebration, it was also meant to acknowledge and thank all who have served on the ship over the past 30 years.
“Today is about celebrating the thousands of officers and sailors who have had the honour of crossing the brow of HMCS Calgary. Their training, dedication and professionalism have been exceptional. They are truly Canada’s greatest ambassadors for defence, diplomacy and operations around the globe,” said Woodburn.
“To all the families who have provided exceptional support so that we could sail when called upon – without their dedication, support and often personal sacrifices, we would not have achieved the level of success we have over the last 30 years and beyond.”
Calgary city councillor Gian-Carlo Carra spoke about the volunteerism of Calgarians and the role they have played in Canada’s military efforts.
“Calgarians stepped up in the Second World War. We had a very small city and we participated significantly in the war effort,” Carra said.
“Calgary has an incredible spirit of volunteerism. We punch well above our weight by any metric you track, and that volunteerism was, in many ways, born out of the sacrifices made by our armed service members, who came back and made a commitment to build a better society.”
Carra and his fellow councillors came bearing gifts, offering a framed 3D print of downtown Calgary to hang on the walls of the ship that shares its name.
