Alan Stinson came before council on Monday dressed smartly in his legion uniform to request that the cenotaph, a monument to the sacrifices made by our soldiers in war and the centrepiece of Rossland’s Nov. 11 Remembrance Day ceremonies, be returned to Esling Park — Pioneer Park beside the Esling Park Lodge.
The cenotaph has moved to four places since it was first sculpted after the First World War.
It was first built where Drift Izakaya now sits, was then moved to where RossVegas is currently, and then moved again to Esling Park.
“We thought that would be it’s permanent resting place, just one block from the Legion and no traffic,” Stinson said.
“We didn’t ask that it be moved to the library,” he continued. “Now it’s three blocks away and we fool around with traffic. Our veterans are getting older and we march further.”
The cenotaph was forced out of Esling Park by the construction of Esling Park Lodge, but the Legion wants it back there.
“We ask that [the cenotaph] be moved to Esling Park, where it should have remained,” Stinson said, “and we ask that this be the permanent resting place for our cenotaph.”
Coun. Jill Spearn took the chair as Mayor Greg Granstrom left the room due to his conflict of interest — he is on the Legion’s executive.
Council agreed unanimously to move the cenotaph, although most were shocked by the estimated cost of $10,000 to fix the library site, move the cenotaph, and rebuild a base in Pioneer Park.
“I was stunned,” Coun. Kathy Moore said. “One thing I’m wondering is if perhaps it could become a community project and not be such a financial burden to the city.”
Stinson was also surprised by the estimated cost: “I don’t know how they came up with $10,000, they didn’t give any details.”
Nevertheless, he was clear that he feels it is the city’s responsibility to relocate the monument, since the city moved it in the first place.
The actual budget for the project will not be discussed until 2012, and work would likely take place in “late 2012,” CAO Victor Kumar said.
To ensure the cenotaph is ready by Nov 11, 2012, Stinson would like to see that date moved up to early or mid 2012. Furthermore, Stinson had an interesting proposition:
“We can get grants from dominion command, but they will not pay anything at all to move it. [The grants] are for modifications.”
“I think we should modify [the cenotaph],” Stinson said, for example heightening the base. “We can apply for up to $25,000, but it has to be moved first.”
The request was considered very reasonable by council. As Spearn said, “It’s not suitable to be standing on a highway when we’re attending Remembrance Day ceremonies. Coun. Kathy Wallace pointed out that hundreds of people turn up, but the traffic is “disturbing.”
Just before the motion carried, Spearn had a moment’s hesitation: “We would miss the parade downtown. We have to figure out how we can celebrate it.”