Rotting old ship’s hull turned into Remembrance Day memorial in Manitoba

SELKIRK, Man. – A unique Remembrance Day memorial has popped up along the banks of the Red River in Selkirk, Man.

It’s made from the rusted, decayed hull of the MS Lord Selkirk II, an abandoned old ship that used to offer posh excursions on the river and is finally being dismantled after spending the last 25 years parked in a slough.

Atop the length of metal is a tall, red poppy with a green stem; and the word “remember” in red below.

Ben Hoosier is the owner of SaskSteel, the company which was hired to remove the rotting old cruise ship.

He says he built the monument in the dark of night Tuesday, using the headlights of his vehicle to facilitate the project, which was sparked when he got into a conversation with a friend about his warm feelings for the military.

The poppy and the word “remember” are carved from a piece of the ship’s ballroom floor.

“I did want to do something,” Hoosier said Wednesday. “I have a lot of respect for the armed forces and there were a few veterans back home that had a big influence on my life.”

It took Hoosier about five hours to build the monument, which he estimates weighs about 900 kilograms.

There was no welding involved, as the entire form was cut from a single piece of hull plating from the ship.

“The bottom part, sitting on the ground, is a side of the ship; the top of one deck and the bottom part of another,” he said.

Janice Lucek came by to see for herself after hearing about the monument at a Selkirk Remembrance Day service.

“I think it’s fabulous,” she said. “It’s a wonderful thing they did today.”

As for the future of the piece, Hoosier said he’s happy to give it to someone; otherwise, it will be removed from the site with the rest of the materials.

(CTV Winnipeg)