How art saved the man who looked after Ottawa monuments

For two decades, John-David Powell looked after Ottawa’s national monuments, from the Garden of the Provinces and Territories to the Peacekeeping Monument to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The longtime Public Works employee didn’t witness the shooting of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo on Oct. 22, 2014, but he was there in the minutes before and after, and says the experience changed him.

“My life before Nathan’s shooting and my life after are completely different,” said Powell.

Each year on Oct. 22, John-David Powell returns to the National War Memorial to remember Cpl. Nathan Cirillo. (Pierre-Olivier Bernatchez/CBC)

Powell remembers it as a beautiful morning. He was overseeing a team of heritage masons prepping the National War Memorial for Remembrance Day. They left for breakfast at a nearby restaurant.

Before leaving, Powell said hello to Cirillo and his fellow reservist Brandon Stevenson as they took their turns on guard. Cirillo was shot 12 minutes later.

Powell found out moments later, when a ceremonial guard piper came to announce the news. Powell ran to see Cirillo slumped over the tomb, with first responders working to save his life. Cirillo died that morning.

In the aftermath of the attack, Powell was called on to facilitate police access to the site and video evidence, and helped to move flowers and tributes that were left at the edge of the sealed-off area back to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Powell says his art helped him come to terms with the terrible events of that day. He’s shown at several galleries including the Ottawa School of Art and Saw Gallery. (Laurence Finet)

Powell says the events of that day are still vivid, and he struggled with the difficult memories for years. But he credits painting with helping ease that turmoil.

“I was able to totally focus on that and take my mind off everything else that was happening,” he explained.

Powell had long painted as an after-work hobby, but since retiring in late 2019, he’s turned to art full time. He’s built a studio in his basement, and has held shows at several galleries.

For more than 20 years, Powell cared for Canada’s national monuments in Ottawa. (Pierre-Olivier Bernatchez/CBC)

He says it’s given him a new way to see the world.

“My appreciation for things are totally different. I take one day at a time. I appreciate a sunrise. I appreciate the sunset. It’s small, little things that people take for granted.”

Each year on Oct. 22, Powell makes a point of stopping by the war memorial to mark the events of that day.

“I’ll never get over it. I saw a human being alive, and then he’s dead,” he said. “I’m fortunate I had art as an outlet, and the art got me through the events.”