By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Four of Chatham-Kent’s war memorials – including the Chatham Cenotaph – are getting upgrades.
At a recent meeting, council approved up to $200,000 in spending at four locations including $100,000 of improvements to the Chatham memorial.
Lights, benches, fencing and plaques will be added to the monument at the King Street location and a new security camera is to be installed as well.
Chatham-Kent already had the upgrades in the works, but repeated vandalism at the Chatham Cenotaph has pushed the issue to the forefront.
According to Mayor Darrin Canniff, he’s been assured by Chatham-Kent Police Service Chief Gary Conn that a camera will be installed to heighten security at the Chatham Cenotaph “in short order.
“That was planned prior to what (vandalism) happened there, but it certainly put the exclamation mark on why we need to have something there,” Canniff told council.
A motion to explore the issue came before council about a year ago and all of Chatham’s Kent’s war memorial sites were put under the microscope.
“Looking forward to getting this going,” Canniff said. “It’s needed.”
Chatham Coun. Alysson Storey, herself a Legion member, said the importance of maintaining war memorials increases as time goes on.
In Blenheim, $5,000 will be spent to add the name of Cpl Harry Milner to the monument and in Bothwell, a plaque will be replaced at an estimated cost of $20,000. A total of $75,000 in spending is slated for additions to the Wheatley memorial, including the installation of new lights, fencing and benches.
Council also authorized the municipality to apply for partial reimbursements for the work through the federal government’s Community War Memorial funding.
Not all of Chatham-Kent’s war monuments are located on municipal lands. Some are located in parks, on roadways and some on private land.
