SHUBENACADIE: After months of emotional debate, East Hants councillors have narrowly voted to move the Shubenacadie cenotaph back to its original site.
At the Sept. 24 council meeting, councillors rejected a staff recommendation to relocate the monument to a new “prominent site” within the parking lot at an estimated cost of $40,000.
“I made a motion last week that was to move the cenotaph back to its original spot,” said Coun. Sandra Garden-Cole. “We were negligent in not consulting the public on this.
“The way to most directly make that right is by putting the cenotaph back where it was.”
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Coun. Keith Rhyno agreed, saying council had erred.
“We thought we were doing the right thing at that time, because there was some confusion with regard to the Legion wanting it moved. We made a mistake,” he said.
“When a wrong is done, admit it, apologize for it, and move on and try to correct that.”
Deputy Warden Carl McPhee also spoke at length, addressing criticism he has received over the matter.
“I must say that I’m rather disappointed with the characterization of myself as being despicable, a liar, arrogant, and disgusting,” he told colleagues. “I don’t know the people even saying this.
“To say that I disrespect the monument or their memory simply is so wrong.
“The important part are the names on the monument. I honour them, and always will.”
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Other councillors stressed the importance of hearing all voices in the community before making a permanent decision.
“There’s been emails come in from both sides,” said Coun. Michael Perry.
“Some of the messages were very sobering.
“We need open discourse, because if we don’t, then we are dismissing the public that wrote in and said they like to leave it where it’s at.
“The residents of Shubenacadie should be given priority.”
In the end, a follow-up motion to leave the cenotaph at the Legion but add interpretive panels at the old site failed.
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Instead, by a 6–5 vote, council approved moving the cenotaph back to its original location. The gallery at council chambers erupted into applause at this news.
Councillors Norval Mitchell, Warden Eleanor Roulston, Deputy Warden MacPhee, Councillor Eldon Hebb, and Councillor Perry voted nay to the motion. All other councillors voted in agreement to the motion.
Coun. Rhyno urged that the work be done quickly.
“If this motion does pass, I would like at all possible to have this back in place by November 11,” he said.
Staff confirmed they would try to meet that timeline.
“We will do everything we can at the staff level to do that,” said Acting CAO Adam Clarkson.
“There may need to be some minor repairs done to the base, but we hear the desire of council to have it back by Nov. 11.”
Funding for the relocation will be determined at a later date, Warden Roulston said.
