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Ontario Fire Fighters’ Memorial finds new home in Orangeville

September 3, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Joshua Drakes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dignitaries from the Town of Orangeville, Government of Ontario and local fire departments gathered in Fendley Park in Orangeville for the official unveiling of the new home of the Ontario Fire Fighters’ Memorial.

Deputy Premier and local MPP Sylvia Jones hosted the event, welcoming locals, firefighters, and dignitaries in attendance, and took time to acknowledge and thank the Little family, who have a deeply personal connection to the memorial.

With the Gravenhurst Ontario Fire College closed, the memorial needed a new home, and Jones said she wanted to speak to the Little family for their input.

“It is a sign unveiling, but I think I want to do a bit of a history on how we got here,” she said. “When we made a decision to transfer to mobile training units, of course there was a beautiful memorial in Gravenhurst. Then, as Solicitor General, it came to me – what would we like to do? And knowing the history of how the memorial came about, I said it is only fitting and appropriate that we ask the Little family what they want.”

What the Little family wanted was to bring the memorial home to honour the late Orangeville firefighter volunteer Dan Little, whose efforts started the movement to build the memorial that stood for decades at the Ontario Fire College.

Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner reflected on Little’s legacy and the impact one volunteer firefighter can have on a community and the province. Kerzner recalled meeting the Little family when the memorial in Gravenhurst was decommissioned, describing the experience as a powerful reminder of Little’s vision and dedication.

“When I saw the memorial edifice for the first time, it was overwhelming,” he said. “I met the Little family that day, and it was hard for me to appreciate what one individual did to make a difference –– a legacy that firefighters today and their future firefighters will have an understanding that you can make a difference in the communities that you serve.”

“For 40 years, Dan Little was a volunteer firefighter right here in beautiful Orangeville, but even more than that, he would go to association meetings. He learned how important it is that we needed to fill a gap that existed, to remember those firefighters that gave themselves for their profession. One person can make a difference,” Kerzner added.

He also highlighted the province’s ongoing support for firefighters, including its fire protection grant and efforts surrounding firefighter health, cancer prevention and support for first responders.

He said the memorial serves not only as a place to remember those who gave their lives in the profession, but as a reminder to future generations of the importance of service.

Orangeville Fire Chief John Snider also spoke about Little’s unusual path into firefighting. According to Snider, Little became a volunteer firefighter almost by accident after finding himself at the scene of an emergency and being asked by the fire chief to help.

From there, Little spent more than four decades as a volunteer firefighter and eventually recognized a gap in how firefighters across Ontario were being remembered.

“He literally became a volunteer firefighter by accident,” Snider said. “He was at the scene of an emergency call on Broadway, and the fire chief stole him to do a task. From that day forward, he was a volunteer firefighter. But after that, he had that vision. He did that work. He went up to the fire college. He recognized a gap in the recognition of firefighters across the province, and the memorial that was put in Gravenhurst was the first firefighter memorial in Canada. We’re so happy in Orangeville to have it moving here. Dan’s connection makes it very important.”

Snider also thanked the provincial government for its support of firefighters and said the funding has helped departments manage rising costs while addressing health, safety and cancer prevention.

Speaking on behalf of the Town of Orangeville, Lisa Post said the community was honoured to welcome the memorial, while recognizing that its significance extends far beyond the town itself.

“On behalf of the town of Orangeville, I just can’t tell you how honoured we are to welcome the Ontario Firefighters Memorial here to Orangeville,” she said. “This memorial carries an additional significance because of our connection to Dan Little. Nearly four decades ago, Dan was instrumental in bringing this memorial to life, and his vision was rooted in something really simple, but incredibly important: that the service and sacrifice of Ontario’s firefighters deserve to be permanently recognized and remembered.”

“This memorial does not belong to Orangeville. It belongs to firefighters, to families, and to communities across Ontario. We are simply being entrusted with its care, and we’re honoured to be able to do that. It’s a responsibility that we take with tremendous pride, and there’s something incredibly special just knowing the legacy of Dan Little being back in our community.”

For Orangeville, the Ontario Firefighters’ Memorial is about more than finding it a new home.

Nearly four decades after Dan Little started his legacy, the memorial has come full circle –– returning to the community where his own journey as a volunteer firefighter began.

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