A small group of delegates gathered at the RCMP Heritage Centre to pay tribute to the RCMP.

The group, including Regina Mayor Michael Fougere and Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme, placed the first-ever engraved bricks into the Princess Royal Walk.

The bricks are part of the new “Pillars of the Force” tribute to members and staff of the RCMP who respond to the call of duty every day, and those who support those who serve.

Mayor Fougere says it was a privilege to be a part of the brick-laying ceremony to help honour RCMP members who have served and protected us since before Confederation.

“It’s really important as Canadians that we understand and celebrate those who protect us,” said Fougere. “This is the home of the RCMP here, this is what makes us Canada in many, many ways. Simply by putting these bricks down, we’re saying ‘Thank you very much for what you’ve done, we honour you, and thank you for your years of service to us”.

Chief of the Cowessess First Nation, Cadmus Delorme, says that the RCMP Heritage Centre is an integral part of history.

He added that while it’s important to share the history of the RCMP, it’s also important to focus on the future.

“It gives me great gratitude to lay a brick on behalf of the Heritage Centre, we’ve been here since 2007,” said Delorme. “We captured the story and the history, but we also want to make sure that we tell our current and future Canadians how proud we are of our RCMP here in Canada.”

The “Pillars of the Force” tribute will see the Princess Royal Walk enhanced with over 10,000 bricks, with feature windows and 21 pillars. Engraved red bricks will be placed along the walkway and feature the individual, personal nameplates of those who serve placed on the pillars.

The official opening date for the completed “Pillars of the Force” tribute has yet to be announced.