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Orangeville Poppy Project brings community together in remembrance

November 5, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By JOSHUA DRAKES

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As Remembrance Day approaches, the Orangeville Poppy Project serves as a tribute to veterans while showcasing the community spirit behind a collective effort to honour those who served.

Leading up to Remembrance Day, thousands of handmade poppies will decorate the Orangeville Clocktower on Broadway. The handmade tribute is a labour of love from multiple community clubs and groups from across town, spearheaded in 2020 by resident Laura Austin.

Austin brought an idea to the town council, inspired by similar displays in other communities and her family’s connection to the Second World War.

“I saw other communities doing it,” she said. “Stratford did a great job. My girlfriend was crocheting poppies in Stouffville, and I thought we should have this in Orangeville. My grandparents were all in the war, and my parents grew up during World War II. This is perfect, especially for Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph.”

With support from Deputy Mayor Todd Taylor, Bill Ray, Austin was connected with retired Orangeville Public Library CEO Darla Fraser, helping establish a community project that would bring together residents and local organizations.

The project invited residents to knit, crochet and sew poppies that would be assembled into panels and displayed around Orangeville’s downtown clock tower during the Remembrance Day period.

“I reached out to the Girl Guides and the Horticulture Society, which I’m a member of, and some other seniors groups,” Austin said. “Some of the ladies in my horticulture society actually made poppies out of fabric, and then we had volunteers putting them all on. It was a big project.”

More than 3,000 handmade poppies were ultimately produced, with volunteers contributing their time and skills to create the installation.

Participants contributed in different ways, with some knitting or crocheting poppies, others sewing fabric versions, and additional volunteers helping assemble and mount the finished display.

The project also reflected Orangeville’s established network of community organizations, drawing together groups and individuals around a shared purpose. More organizations include church groups, the Lord Dufferin Centre, local seniors groups, Orange thREADS and local Brownies. 

The clock tower installation became a prominent feature of the town’s Remembrance Day season, complementing the annual ceremony at the cenotaph and providing residents with another way to recognize the sacrifices made by veterans.

For Austin, the project was rooted in the importance of remembrance and the desire to establish a lasting community tradition.

The handmade display provides a visible reminder of the people behind the tribute, with each poppy representing the time and effort contributed by local volunteers.

The Orangeville Poppy Project demonstrates how residents can turn a shared commitment to remembrance into a community-wide initiative, bringing together generations and organizations through a meaningful act of recognition.

The project continues to highlight the role of local participation in preserving Remembrance Day traditions and honouring those who served.

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