November 10, 2015

 

To help commemorate Remembrance Day, Toronto's Great War Attic project now features 100 personal First World War stories online along with images of Torontonians and Canadians. 

 

Toronto's Great War Attic project is a collaboration between City of Toronto Museums & Heritage Services, York University and Historica Canada. It began in the fall of 2014, when more than 100 people attended public sessions at City-run museums, a library and a community centre. Everyone brought objects connecting them to the Great War a century ago.  

 

From a well-worn trench coat to a Canadian army nurse's set of medical tools, artifacts were presented, examined by Museums staff and historians, and documented on film along with uniquely personal tales of heroism, sacrifice, survival and loss. These stories are now available to view through the City's Great War Attic web page at http://bit.ly/1mmzakg. 

 

"The public sessions were a rewarding experience for the participants as Museums staff were able to share their expertise on the objects and stories being shared as well as telling them about the war and Toronto's involvement in it," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City's Economic Development Committee. 

 

"We all learned so much from the people who shared stories and listened to the interpretations of family heirlooms by museum staff and historians. The project was an important model for museums in community engagement and people's history," said York University History Professor Craig Heron.  

 

Toronto’s Great War Attic is funded by Canadian Heritage and the City of Toronto. 

 

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1iReWh8

 

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

 

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Media contact: Shane Gerard, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5711, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.