GUELPH – Wellington County’s fallen veterans are now enshrined in a permanent display at the municipality’s main offices.
A massive plaque listing the names of county residents who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country in the two World Wars and later conflicts was installed in the hallway outside the council chamber at the administration centre and officially unveiled during the Oct. 26 council meeting.
“This is a wonderful opportunity that we have to honour and showcase the fallen from Wellington County. They came from basically every community across the whole width and breadth of the county,” said councillor Jeff Duncan, who instigated the project. Duncan said the plaque is a permanent, year-round display honouring fallen soldiers.
“It’s kind of important that it’s in the seat of local democracy here,” Duncan stated.
“It’s really just a reminder … of the sacrifice that’s been made for us.”
Duncan thanked county communications manager Andrea Ravensdale for her role in organizing the project, as well as Warden Andy Lennox and councillor Chris White for their strong support.
White noted the plaque provides another way to memorialize the county’s fallen, in addition to reading their names each November at the annual Remembrance service at the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
“There’s over 500 names that we go through each and every year and it’s hard to keep them all in focus … It was thought there should be a place where they can all be recognized at once … having this memorial serves that purpose,” said White.
“We’re living in very difficult times. There’s a lot of anxiety right now. The world is unsure. And sometimes we can look back at the folks who stepped up in other periods where we had great, great difficulties and paid the ultimate sacrifice … I think it’s important that we recognize these folks. They are pivotal to who we are as a county,” White stated.
Councillors Lennox and White unveil the plaque. Photo by Patrick Raftis
