Winnipeg, MB – At an event this morning, Scott Gillingham, Councillor for St. James - Brooklands - Weston, officially broke ground on the Kapyong Park improvement project. The park is dedicated to the 700 soldiers of the Second Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI) who fought in the Battle of Kapyong, April 22-25, 1951.
“Kapyong Park is an important space for not only the residents of the St. James, Brooklands and Weston neighbourhoods, but for all of Winnipeg,” said Scott Gillingham, Councillor for St. James - Brooklands - Weston. “This park honours the sacrifice and heroic actions of the servicemen of 2PPCLI, which was stationed in Winnipeg from 1969 to 2004. I’m pleased to break ground today on the work to enhance the park’s amenities and add memorial features. I encourage all residents and visitors to Winnipeg to pay tribute to the 2PPCLI servicemen who fought in the Battle of Kapyong.”
Improvements to Kapyong Park, located at 340 Amherst Street, will include the installation of unique decorative wood fencing, a paving stone plaza, memorial boulders, concrete seating blocks and walkways, benches, trees, and rubberized surfacing. The park will also feature three new flag poles that will fly flags from Canada, South Korea and the PPCLI.
Construction is expected to start in August and be completed by mid-October 2018. To view a design rendering of the improvements being made at Kapyong Park, please click here.
Background on the Battle of Kapyong and Kapyong Park
Kapyong Park and associated memorial space is dedicated to the 700 soldiers of the Second Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI) who fought in the Battle of Kapyong, April 22-25, 1951. The Battle was a pivotal moment in the Korean War. Ten 2PPCLI soldiers died and 23 were wounded defending Kapyong against an invasion force of 5,000 communist soldiers.
To honour the sacrifice and heroic actions of the servicemen of 2PPCLI, which was stationed in Winnipeg from 1969-2004, the park was renamed by the City of Winnipeg in 2016 from Amherst Park to Kapyong Park.