The Ontario Fire Fighters’ Memorial and the dream of Dan Little
The Ontario Fire Fighters’ Memorial stands not only as a monument of stone and bronze, but as a testament to the courage, sacrifice, and enduring spirit of those who serve their communities in times of crisis. Its unveiling on October 2, 1988, marked the fulfilment of a dream sparked years earlier by one man’s determination to ensure the selfless contributions of firefighters would never be forgotten. Soon, it will be moved to Orangeville, and it is the dedication and stubbornness, as many voices joked, of a certain man from Orangeville that led to its construction in the first place, and its move to Dufferin County now. Let’s find out more.
The unveiling ceremony
On a crisp autumn day, firefighters, dignitaries, and families gathered together as the memorial was officially revealed to the public in on October 2, 1988 in Gravenhurst. Among those present was Tony Taziar, who paid heartfelt tribute to Dan Little at the time, whose vision and perseverance were instrumental in bringing the memorial to fruition.
Taziar later spoke about Little and that dedication, when posthumously presenting a plaque to his widow after the fire service said goodbye to Dan.
“Dan Little was a friend to me and to this Association and we dearly miss him. It is now up to this Association to follow Dan’s dream in the next phase of the Ontario Fire Fighters’ Memorial. I take great pleasure in presenting this plaque to Sue Little in general recognition to Dan Little from your friends and fellow firefighters on August 5, 1989. Thank you for your dreams in our reality. This plaque can never really show our love, respect and admiration.”
This dedication underscored the profound respect held for Dan Little within the firefighting community, and the recognition that his vision was the driving force behind the creation of the memorial.
Relocation and renewal
Years later, the memorial’s journey continues as it will find a new home in Orangeville. The decommissioning ceremony in Gravenhurst this past July marked not an end, but a new beginning—one that reconnected the monument with the community where Dan Little’s legacy was felt so deeply. Orangeville Mayor Lisa Post welcomed the memorial with gratitude and promise:
“We are prepared to create a very safe ongoing space where families can come to recognize the sacrifices of their family members, where we can all come together to pay tribute to the firefighters who have come before. We thank the Little family very much for all their time and service.”
Her words reflected Orangeville’s commitment to preserving a place of remembrance and honour, where the stories of courage and loss would endure, and future generations could learn from the past.
Personal reflections and enduring inspiration
Perhaps the most touching moments came from those whose lives had been directly shaped by Dan Little’s mentorship and leadership. Andy McIntosh, retired Orangeville fire chief now serving as an Orangeville councillor, spoke candidly about the impact of both the memorial and the man behind it:
“Having spent many, many days and nights at this college was always a great reassuring thought to look at this monument and know this came from someone in Orangeville,” McIntosh shared, describing the sense of pride and connection the memorial brought to the community.
He recounted a formative memory from his earliest days as a volunteer firefighter in 1987:
“Going back a few years to 1987, my first day as volunteer ff, had a call come in, and as a recruit, my job was to jump in the back of the rescue truck. Don’t touch anything, don’t do anything, just watch. And sitting in passenger seat was this intimidating large white haired gentlemen. He turned to me and said, ‘who the hell are you?’”
This brief but memorable exchange was the beginning of McIntosh’s understanding of the depth of Dan Little’s knowledge and the pivotal role he played in shaping the Orangeville Fire Department:
“There wasn’t anything you couldn’t ask him, he would either know the answer, or quickly make one up. He’d been on the fire department since 1949, so nobody would question his response. He saw a need. He saw that there was no fitting tribute for the firefighters of Ontario. And so began his six year journey.”
The legacy lives on
Dan Little’s story is emblematic of the countless volunteers and professionals whose efforts form the backbone of Ontario’s fire services. His journey—from recognizing the absence of a proper tribute, to shepherding the memorial through conception, fundraising, and realization—was not just about building a monument, but about fostering a culture of remembrance and gratitude.
Today, the Ontario Fire Fighters’ Memorial serves not only as a physical site for reflection and mourning, but as a source of inspiration. Families, friends, and colleagues gather to honour those lost in the line of duty, to share stories, and to find comfort in a community bound by shared values of service and sacrifice.
Through the words of those who knew him—through formal tributes and personal anecdotes alike—Dan Little’s legacy continues to burn brightly. The memorial stands as a promise: that the bravery, compassion, and dedication of Ontario’s firefighters will forever be remembered and celebrated.
“What started the fundraising and the effort to get this memorial? Well for 14 years my dad would go down to the Michigan state firefighters convention and they had a beautiful memorial to the firefighters there,” said Rob Little, Dan’s son. “They had started getting together fundraising to build a monument for the Michigan state firefighter associations for fallen firefighters during their commission and he realized there was nothing in Ontario. So, he got a burr up his ass, and he went on a rampage.”
There was no government money put into the monument, it was all donated. It was all Little and his wife and thousands of miles of travelling to see people, phone calls, lectures. Together, they raised the money to have a monument built in Gravenhurst at the Ontario Fire College.
“They used to call him the fire chief because he used to go to schools and other organizations and teach fire safety,” said Rob. “He would spend fire prevention week out at the old Orangeville mall, in the north end of Orangeville. That was his pride and joy teaching fire safety. He started the Dufferin-Peel Mutual Aid Society to bring up all the new technology that he’d learned and try to teach it to volunteer departments. He started volunteering in 1949, and died in 1989. And there wasn’t a fire hall from the east coast to the west coast that he hadn’t been in.”
And Dan got his own start in a humble fashion that showed his desire to serve and protect his community. He used to drive for Eaton’s after the war, got his own truck and drove transport. When coming up through Orangeville, there was a fire on Broadway. The chief at the time commandeered his tractor trailer to block the roadway off.
The next day he volunteered for the fire department.
In 1989, upon his death, Dan’s wife and Rob’s mother, Susie was presented with a plaque made of the same granite as the memorial.
“It was his driving force,” Mrs. Little said in a newspaper article about Dan. “If it wasn’t for him they wouldn’t have the monument.”
A contract for $125,000 was signed by fire prevention officer Al Bracken for an eight foot monument that would consist of three slabs of black granite imported from India, mounted on a two-foot cement base. Bracken was treasurer of the committee that would spend six years planning the monument.
The original contract was executed by Sanderson Monuments Co. of Orillia, the same company that would be responsible for the Terry Fox memorial in Thunder Bay.
The monument features an eternal flame, as well as the flags of Canada and Ontario. A flagpole was also included in order to allow whichever fire department was participating in training at the college at the time to use it.
“It’s really just brought it home,” said Joyce Little, daughter to Dan and sister to Rob. “We’re all very excited it’s coming to Orangeville. What they’re going to do with it, dad’s plaque, we can’t say enough about how well we’ve been treated and involved by all levels of fire in the province.”
Joyce recalls her brother’s excitement when the news came that it had to be moved from Gravenhurst.
“Rob was the one who said, Orangeville is building a new fire department, maybe it could go there? I thought it was a bit possessive,” Joyce giggled. “Now with time gone on, the grandchildren have seen it, and they are really taking an interest in it. We’re going to see good many of the family show up in Orangeville when its unveiled, it’s just really brought it home, to all the family, what it means. And what it meant to dad. Now we get to share that.”