Council Approves Byron Springbank Veterans Monument Project

Council approved the Byron Springbank Veterans Monument project, including a donation and maintenance funding agreement with the Byron Springbank Veterans Monument consortium. Members said the monument will allow remembrance ceremonies to move to Springbank Park, replacing the current street closure near the fire hall.

Topics Discussed

BYRON SPRINGBANK VETERANS MONUMENT

Council unanimously approved the Byron Springbank Veterans Monument project on a 6-0 vote. Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis said, "This has been a longtime coming. I'm so happy to see it here. I do want to thank staff for the work they did to bring this across the finish line."

FUNDING AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT

The project includes a $100,000 donation and $200,000 for maintenance from the Byron Springbank Veterans Monument consortium. Mayor Josh Morgan said, "It's great that we had the organization team for the city to provide support, but we know these projects don't happen without generous people in our community seeing this as a priority, recognizing our veterans and then creating new monuments that that will last for generations to come." The city will maintain the monument in perpetuity.

CEREMONIES MOVING TO SPRINGBANK PARK

Council members said the monument will allow remembrance ceremonies to move from the area near the fire hall to Springbank Park in Ward 9. Lewis said he was looking forward to remembrance ceremonies taking place in Springbank Park instead of requiring the street closure and route around the fire hall, which he said creates "some frustrations and some traffic movement challenges sometimes."

TIMELINE AND DEDICATION

The dedication ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 3. Councillor Anna Hopkins thanked the consortium for "their donation, 100,000 and 200,000 as well for the maintenance" and said the project had "been a long time coming," adding she hoped this November's service would be held at the monument.

AMENDMENTS TO BYLAW AND AGREEMENT

Council made minor amendments to the proposed bylaw and agreement after clarification about the composition of the donor group. The substance of the documents did not change.

Motions

• Byron Springbank Veterans Monument project approval — passed unanimously, 6-0
• Amended bylaw and agreement related to the Byron Springbank Veterans Monument — passed

Attendees

• Mayor Josh Morgan
• Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis
• Councillor Anna Hopkins