Introducing the Veterans Memorial Bench

Monday, 15 September 2025 05:55

Photo Credit: Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre Facebook page

The bench faces the Veteran's Memorial Walkway outside the Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre.

TILLSONBURG - A special piece of artwork has been unveiled at the Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre, honouring those who have fought for our freedom.

The centre now has a veterans memorial bench, complete with a beautiful poppy design with a blue sky background that was painted by Executive Director Tabitha Verbuyst.

In an interview with Heart FM, she told us about her experience painting this masterpiece.

"I was working with acrylics which is a little bit of a quicker drying medium and I'm very much used to a slower one working with oils, so that was actually more of the challenge in itself than anything. It took about two full days to complete, but I am very happy with how it turned out."

Verbuyst sent her design to the Tillsonburg Legion for approval beforehand and the legion donated funds to help cover the cost of the paint.

The finished artwork was officially unveiled Thursday with local veterans in attendance, along with members of the Tillsonburg Legion, the Tillsonburg Military History Club, and the Tillsonburg BIA. Staff and board members of the Tillsonburg Station Art Centre were also present, along with Tillsonburg Mayor Deb Gilvesy.

Verbuyst says they chose the perfect location for this bench.

"It's permanently going to be on display facing the Veterans' Memorial Walkway, which worked out perfectly. It's the walkway that they utilize when they do the march up to the cenotaph on Remembrance Day, so it's clear and visible for everyone to see."

The bench was one of the original benches from the old train station and the centre is planning some designs for some of the other benches they have on sight. Verbuyst told us about some of the ideas they have in the works.

"We have a really cool one that is going to be covered in more of the artistic aspiration of painting, and the other one is just all of the colour schemes of all of the inclusivity stuff we have touched on already. We are hoping to bring in some Indigenous artists and do something with them as well."

You can find more information about the Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre online here.