TIMMINS - A unique historic art exhibit is in town this weekend.
On Saturday, March 1 from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Brigadier Cassidy Armoury in Timmins, nine large paintings depicting George Cassidy's time wartime experience are on display. This is the only public viewing planned in Timmins.
The exhibit is part of the Algonquin Regiment's 125th anniversary celebration in 2025.
The regiment is an army reserve unit in Timmins and North Bay.
"As Army Reservists, members balance full-time careers, family, and education responsibilities with a rewarding military career," reads a National Defence news release.
"Brigadier George Cassidy was no exception. Relocating to Cobalt in the early 1930s to teach art at local schools, he brought with him a passion to create and to teach. When the call came to serve, Brigadier Cassidy served in Europe with The Algonquin Regiment during the Second World War. At the end of the war, he returned to Northern Ontario to continue teaching, eventually becoming the principal at the high school in Haileybury."
Back at home, Cassidy painted the Algonquin Regiment's wartime experience. It shows their training and preparation before being deployed to the front lines in Europe in July 1944.
"George Cassidy is known throughout the north as a descriptive painter of northern landscapes, and these historical works are cherished and significant pieces of local, Canadian, and military history," reads the news release.
"This unique exhibit represents a rare opportunity to learn about our shared history and take in the exceptional talent of a local artistic legend who, through his paintings, was able to bring the war home and tell the stories of the regiment, while paying homage to the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice."
The event is free and open to the public.