Cycling the Leopold Canal

Dave Downer
While in Bruges over March Break, the CDS Social Sciences group bicycled 30 kilometres from the city to Adegem Cemetery, where many Canadians who fought in World War II are buried. The idea for bicycling originated with our Headmaster, Mr. Liggett, who thought we would be able to re-trace part of the route Canadian soldiers took as they fought through Belgium during the war. 

Canada had been assigned the task of taking the coastal region of Belgium and Netherlands. The allies had captured the port of Antwerp, but could not use it because the Germans still possessed the coastal channels and would sink any supply ship coming in. The task was especially difficult because the terrain is flat with little cover and the Germans had breached the dykes flooding large areas. The Canadians accomplished their targets and likely shortened the war by many months.
 
The area we cycled was the Leopold Canal which the Germans had reinforced with bunkers making any crossing nearly impossible. So many Canadians fell in this particular area, that the locals renamed one of the roads “Algonquinstraat” (Algonquin Street) in honour of the sacrifices this regiment made here. Bicycling allowed us to appreciate the terrain and to access areas too far to walk or inaccessible to buses. It really was one of the highlights of the trip.

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Land Acknowledgment

CDS wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. For thousands of years, these have been the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We also recognize the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples who also shared this land.  CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for these lands and waters for future generations.

School Information

13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5 
(905) 833-1220 

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Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.