A Langley brother-and-sister duo who created a living memorial for fallen Canadian soldiers will see a new cenotaph rise to complement their efforts.

Elizabeth and Michael Pratt created the Walk to Remember project last year, with a plan to plant 158 trees, one for each Canadian killed in Afghanistan during the war, since 2001.

They’re up to 120 trees, planted along the paths in the Derek Doubleday Arboretum, and they’re seeking sponsorships for the remaining 38.

“It truly is a unique Canadian experience,” Elizabeth said of the Walk to Remember.

On Thursday, the Township and federal government announced that 16 foot sculpture and cenotaph will be placed in the middle of the walking area as part of the memorial.

The $122,000 steel structure will resemble a tree cut off halfway up its trunk, to symbolize the lives cut short in the Afghan war.

A steel ribbon winding around the outside of the sculpture will carry the names of the Canadians who died in Afghanistan, in the order they were killed over the 10 years of Canada’s part in the conflict.

Langley MP Mark Warawa was on hand to announce that the federal government, through Veterans Affairs, will contribute up to $50,000 to the project.

A deck around the site will be completed, largely by volunteer labour, in late July, and the monument itself is expected to be installed in August.