Clearwater needs a new cenotaph, according to Joe Short.
Speaking to town council on March 24, the Clearwater-Vavenby Legion Branch #259 representative said the present cenotaph in Reg Small Park was built by Boy Scouts under Rich Willan in the late 1990s.
They did a good job, he said, but the structure now needs repair.
“It is falling apart,” Short said.
There is also a safety question, with so many people and a parade along a busy street on Remembrance Day.
The Legion spokesperson said the cenotaph has never been registered with Veterans Affairs Canada.
The best solution would be to build a new cenotaph in a different location, he felt.
Next to Dutch Lake Community Center would be visible but not so exposed to traffic problems.
There is money available from the federal government for such projects, Short said.
Mayor John Harwood agreed with the Legion member that another location for the cenotaph would be nice. Organizers need to have the traffic shut down during the ceremony at the present location, he noted.
As is the usual practise after listening to a delegation, council made no decision during the meeting. However, it is understood that staff will look into the matter.
According to an article by CBC News, there are more than 6,200 military memorials catalogued across the country. These include plaques and paintings, but only 76 cenotaphs have been registered.
The word cenotaph derives from the Greek words kenos, meaning “empty” and taphos, “tomb.”