Banff Avenue and Central Park were the scene of pipes, drums and a marching cadence as cadets of the Rocky Mountain National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre paraded en route to receiving freedom of the town, Sunday (July 27).
In all, 215 training cadets and 36 staff cadets marched along Banff Avenue to be granted freedom of the town by Mayor Karen Sorensen.
Today, the Rocky Mountain National Army Cadet Summer Training Centre (RMNACSTC) is located off Highway 40 near the Ghost Ranger Station, but it had been located in Banff from 1948-99. Sunday’s ceremony was in keeping with a 66-year tradition of cadet training in the Rockies area.
After marching down Banff Avenue, the cadets, from across Canada and some from the U.K., gathered in Central Park for an official drumhead ceremony, a form of battlefield service where drums are stacked, then prayers offered and equipment used at the training centre, a mountain bike, kayak and climbing gear, were blessed.
Lieutenant Colonel Dallas West, the camp’s commanding officer, has taken part in three such events. “We have cadets from across the prairies and the territories in the pipe band. The camp runs until Aug. 15 and this is a fantastic group of young people. Cadets from across Canada and the United Kingdom take part in our leadership courses.
“It’s easy to be proud of them.”
For West, a full-time reservist, the Sunday parade will be his last. While he hates to give up summer in the mountains, he’ll stick to his job in human resources at the cadet head office in Winnipeg.
In welcoming the cadets to Banff, Mayor Karen Sorensen said, “I understand that, historically, the freedom of the town would be a parade with banners flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed, telling me that you come in peace.
“A regiment whose honour was beyond question might be granted freedom of the city. Given the risk the city would be running, this was a rare honour. Today, although ceremonial, freedom of the city remains a high civic honour in the Commonwealth nations.
“I am honoured today to be among who are discliplined, loyal to the queen and who know the importance of Canada’s history and its future. I am happy to extend to the officer, non-commissioned members and cadets, the rights and privileges of Banff residents. On behalf of town council and the residents of Banff … you have the freedome of the town.”
The cadet training centre is at the site of the former Ghost Ranger Station run by Alberta Forest Services until the fall of 1996.
Cadets range in age from 14 to 18. The Summer Training Centre offers intensive pipes and drums courses for cadet musicians from across the country that have attained the highest level of training offered by the Canadian Cadet Organization.
The camp also plays host to cadets from other nations, including Great Britain and the United States, during a unique exchange program.
Activities include alpine treks, white-water kayaking and canoeing, survival skills, rock climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking, music and more. The cadet program also emphasizes community, citizenship, teamwork and leadership.
