Mayor Chris White says Guelph-Eramosa Township is “absolutely thrilled” to receive a grant from the federal government to upgrade the Rockwood cenotaph.
Last week Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong announced up to $33,060 in funding for the project, which is expected to cost about $66,000 in total.
“Our community war memorials serve as lasting reminders of the achievements and contributions of those who served and those who continue to serve Canada,” said Chong.
“[This] is one way our government is working to ensure the sacrifices of our veterans will not be forgotten.”
White said township officials have considered the upgrades at the Rockwood cenotaph for some time.
“We probably wouldn’t have done the cenotaph without the grant,” White told the Advertiser.
The remaining costs for the project, which is expected to be completed by the fall, will likely be covered by reserves, White said.
After a March meeting where the municipality first unveiled its plans, chief administrative officer Janice Sheppard said there could be a fundraising campaign to help cover the township’s portion of costs.
White said the project will not only draw more attention to the cenotaph, but it will also improve accessibility and make it easier to attend ceremonies there.
“This will really make it a much more user-friendly site,” said White. He added the final product will also more closely resemble the original vision for the site.
Major changes proposed for the cenotaph include:
– removing the bars and cement at the front of the cenotaph and replacing it with a direct walkway to three steps leading up to a new cenotaph landing;
– installing a sloped walkway (for wheelchair access) at the right side of the cenotaph leading to the rear of the new landing;
– replacing the current fence at the rear of the monument with a white picket fence with a gate;
– installing benches along the inside of the new fence;
– new retaining walls at the front of the landing that would have an area for planting of flowers or shrubs;
– evenly spacing out the four flags at the back near the new fence (currently three are in a row with one set back from the others); and
– removing the two maple trees at the sides of the cenotaph and replacing them with two new ones that are uniform in size.
Also announced last week by Chong, on behalf of Minister of Veterans Affairs Steven Blaney, was a $31,688 grant for major additions to the Veterans Memorial in Marymount Cemetery in Guelph, which commemorates veterans of the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War and peace support missions.
The work on the Guelph memorial will include: two new memorial walls encircling the existing monument, walkways, a seating area with benches, and landscaped gardens.
Both grants were awarded through the Community War Memorial Program.
For information, visit veterans.gc.ca.
