What secrets does the World’s Largest Tin Soldier hold close to his heart? All may be revealed on Valentine’s Day 2025.
At its Dec. 16 meeting, council unanimously approved a motion from Coun. Ruby Campbell to have staff report back with a plan and budget to host a tin soldier time capsule opening on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. The Valentine’s Day event would be open to the public and individuals and associations who helped design and construct the tin soldier.
The 9.75-metre tall tin solider was installed outside of the Royal Westminster Regiment Armoury at Sixth Street and Queens Avenue on Nov. 29, 2000; it was relocated to its current home at Westminster Quay in 2002. In 2002, it was listed as the World’s Largest Tin Soldier in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Campbell said a time capsule that was placed in the soldier at its original dedication event was intended to be opened on Feb. 14, 2025.
“It’s just kind of a fun thing to do,” she said. “The tin soldier is, if you don't know, the world's largest soldier. And I think that it would be fantastic to be able to honour this. And some people might be wondering, why, February 14? Well, that was the date that the people who actually put this project together had identified as the date to open it, because they love the city so much.”
Campbell’s motion recommends the City of New Westminster work with its community partners, including Tourism New Westminster, River Market, and the Downtown New Westminster Business Improvement Association to promote the time capsule opening. It’s envisioned that the event could include opportunities for local restaurants and services to attract event attendees to their establishments before or after the time capsule opening.
“Having some conversations with the Downtown Business Improvement Association and River Market, they're really supportive of this for a couple reasons,” she said. “One: they're curious. And secondly because it could be an opportunity to support local businesses.”
Campbell said New West Family Place has also indicated it wants to be involved in the Valentine’s Day event, which is a professional day for local students.
Coun. Tasha Henderson said community members were interested in the idea when Campbell posted about it on social media.
“There was so much excitement around this,” she said. “I didn't realize how excited the community would be around this when you posted about this. So I think it'll be a really great event.”
The tin soldier was commissioned by the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living and was gifted to the City of New Westminster in 2011.
Wayne Wright, who was New Westminster’s mayor from 2002 to 2014, was chair of the Royal Christmas Festival in the years before becoming mayor. The tin soldier was created as part of that festival, which was held at the Armoury and supported the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living.
In 2003, Wright published a book about the tin solider, Tall Tale. Written by Tiffany Stone and designed/illustrated by Elisa Gutierrez, the children’s book told the story about the building of the world’s largest tin solider.
Cheryl Gauld, a former director of development at the Simon Fraser Society for Community Living, told the Record in 2014 how she had spearheaded the fundraising efforts for the building of the tin soldier.
“The world's largest tin soldier was touted as a ‘labour of love’ by the local unions, businesses and individuals who donated to this project. It is constructed from bridge material and will last a long, long time,” she said in a 2014 letter to the Record. “The soldier was created as a mascot for the Royal City Christmas festival in honour of children and adults with disabilities.”
Gauld said the gold heart on the soldier represents the spirit of kindness towards others.
According to the City of New Westminster’s website, the tin soldier was designed and manufactured by Danny Jay, Austin Metal Fabricators Ltd., BC Metal Association and Sheet Metal Workers Union (Local 280).
