The municipality is looking for ideas to build a new monument in honour of Chief Tecumseh, the War of 1812 hero that fell in battle in what is now Chatham-Kent.
Tecumseh, a Shawnee warrior and First Nations leader, formed a native confederacy and allied with the British after the first shots rang out to start the War of 1812.
The warrior died in battle after the British retreated up the Thames River and past Chatham following a naval defeat on Lake Erie in 1813. Tecumseh was killed in the Battle of the Thames on Oct. 5, 1813, just east of what is now Thamesville.
Chatham-Kent officials this week released a request for proposal for conceptual drawings, timelines, product descriptions and estimated costs for the monument, which would be located at the battle site on Longwoods road.
The RFP will be distributed nationally.
Nationally? Because no one within 60 miles is capable to manage and create something like this? Forget the time and effort and money in the last several years to make at least a working plan with a committee that worked so hard to get this so far. This means nothing to the project? Do you want something that is deep in the hearts of the people in this area not to mention our First Nations friends to be completely ignored and sloughed off, or maybe you want a slick 905 or 416 area code group coming in to take all the money away from the area, put up a generic monument that you could find anywhere in North America copied several times over all over the continent with some concrete bought locally. Or do you want something that means something to everyone with the sweat and tears that a lot of people who have put into this project that mirrors what the man wanted to do. And will finally do honour this man who is still relevant. People come from all over the world to pay tribute to the man and he lies in our backyard. No wonder the best and brightest leave, why would you stick around and be ignored. RPF is close to RIP.