BASS RIVER — Noah Tremblay isn’t afraid of taking on big tasks.

It was while working on a school project that the 12-year old Bass River resident decided there ought to be a monument to service animals killed during conflicts.

During his research for a heritage project Noah, a self-described animal lover whose father serves in the military, learned there are only three such monuments in the world, and none of them are in Canada.

“I decided, why not put one up in Canada, not just for the animals, but for the soldiers,” he said.

“The animals weren’t as much remembered as the people, but they were as important as the people. (They) should be remembered and not forgotten.”

With the seed of an idea firmly planted in his mind, Noah started reaching out to businesses, the community and the federal government, and he also did fundraisers.

After a little more than a year’s worth of work, he raised $21,000 to pay for the project.

The monument, which includes a slab with engraved names and a stone dog, will be unveiled at a ceremony Sunday at 2 p.m. It becomes the latest addition to Veterans Memorial Park in Bass River, one of the most elaborate memorial sites in the province.

The names, which include RCMP and police animals and handlers, came through research and people contacting Noah after hearing about the project.

Like the other monuments in the park, there is space for more names to be added in the future.

Noah’s mother, Sonya, said she wasn’t surprised to see her son take on such a big project, but even she was in awe of what he was able to accomplish.

“Once he puts his mind to something, there’s no changing his mind,” she said.

“He’s always doing good deeds. Any time there’s something to be done, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help people.”

Seeing his design move from his head to the park is exciting, said Noah.

“It looks really nice. This is going to make a big difference in how Canada’s heritage is preserved.”

(mgorman@herald.ca)