CHESTERMERE – Following the Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11, members of the community were invited to stop by the recreation centre to have a look at two cenotaph models, one of which will eventually be constructed in Anniversary Park.
The Chestermere Cenotaph Committee hosted the viewing, and were on hand to answer questions and receive feedback. There were also ballot boxes were people could submit their choice of either Model A or Model B, and include their comments.
Committee chair Shawn McKenzie said that he was pleased to see so many members of the community stop by, and that the verbal feedback alone has been beneficial to hear.
“It was interesting how closely the comments from the community fit with the things that we heard in our committee meetings beforehand,” McKenzie said. “Once we gather up all of the ballots and see what the community has to say, we will come together as a committee and talk about the feedback and decide what our next steps will be.”
The two cenotaph models, although they are reasonably similar in cost, are entirely different. Model A, which was designed by Dick Hessler, a retired RCMP officer, is a more traditional cenotaph.
“Model A is more of what people were expecting to see,” McKenzie said. “We got a lot of comments about the brickwork, and a lot of people were surprised and delighted about the murals on the back.”
McKenzie said that some concerns were presented about the height of the monument and how child-friendly it would be in the long run. He said that questions about how easily it could be damaged by graffiti were also raised.
Model B was designed by Illarion Gallant, the same artist who designed the boat sculpture in the park on East Chestermere Drive. It is a more modern design, and McKenzie said that it looks more like art than like a monument.
“It was quite surprising to people how much different it was compared to what a typical cenotaph might look like,” he said. “People liked the idea of how it was open, and that it made them think about what was going on and that it was more art-oriented.”
McKenzie said that Model B would be easier to clean up if it were graffiti’d, as it is made only of stone.
“We also heard that there would be less impact on the park with the second model, as the landscaping would be grass,” he said.
Overall, McKenzie said that people appreciated being able to see the models and how they could one day fit into Anniversary Park.
“We think it went well, and we also received some donations from people wanting to contribute to the cenotaph project,” he said. “We appreciate the support, and want to let everyone know that they can still contribute to the project through the Town.”
McKenzie said that there is currently no money set aside in the Town of Chestermere’s budget for purchasing the cenotaph, as they are trying to complete the project through donations and matching grants from the federal government.
Anyone wishing to contribute to the cenotaph can make a donation to Town in the name of the committee. Tax receipts will be issued as the cenotaph project is now registered as a charitable organization.
The two cenotaph models are still available for viewing in the foyer at Town Hall. They will be there for at least three more weeks.
“We would love for more people to come over and drop off a ballot with their comments while they models are on display,” he said. “We can then go into the new year with everyone’s feedback, and decide how to proceed with the project.”
