NORTH BAY -- The Municipality of Callander is naming a section of a street to honour local war veterans. Lansdowne Street East from Callander Bay Drive to Main Street will be inaugurated as 'Veterans' Way.'

"It's so nice to see the current council supported us and made this happen," said Marc Picard., president of Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 445 Callander.

Callander Mayor Rob Noon said the decision was made to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

"We think it's a great way to honour the people that have sacrificed everything," Noon told CTV News.

Callander council unanimously approved the motion, in part, to finish a project that former Mayor Hec Lavigne backed. Lavigne passed away in January.

"It's good to see it come to fruition. I'm sure he'd be very happy about it," said Noon. "The town and council looked at it when it came and we budgeted for it. Everybody is fully behind this."

Idea of former mayor

The groundwork was laid last year when Picard approached council with the idea after seeing other municipalities do the same thing.

About 130 men and women from the Callander area served in the First World War.

The plan is to erect banners along the street with the words 'Veterans' Way' plastered on them.

"Two veterans, who moved here from southern Ontario, brought the idea forward initially and then I brought that to Mayor Lavigne," said Picard.

This week marks Legion Week across Canada, so Picard said it all came together at the right time.

While the street will be referred to as Veterans’ Way, it will continue to be named Lansdowne Street, similar to how Highway 401 is referred to as the Highway of Heroes.

"The entire project is going over the $4,000 mark (and) we also have set aside $1,600 aside for yearly maintenance," said Noon.

The Legion and municipality are planning a formal ceremony on Oct. 30, when the poppy campaign is set to start. It will be a separate event to Remembrance Day, which Picard said will look really different this year.

"Remembrance Day is going be a little bit scaled back and it won't have the huge military and cadet participation," said Picard.

Picard said the veterans and Legion members he spoke with about the project said they're honoured to see a section of Callander named after those who served the nation.