Cenotaphs are a staple in communities across the Maritimes, giving generations a place to gather and remember the fallen who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today. However, there’s a noticeable absence of one in Hammonds Plains, N.S.
“I think Hammonds Plains is growing up so fast, that it was sort of overlooked and it’s been requested for a long time,” says Matt Whitman, Halifax city councilor.
The absence of a cenotaph did not stop the community from honouring veterans, holding Remembrance Day ceremonies at baseball fields over the last four years.
When the service grew to include over 2,000 people, Lt.-Cmdr. Todd Brayman realized the perfect place for a permanent cenotaph was in Uplands Park.
“This past year clearly showed the community support, desire, and need for a permanent cenotaph,” says Brayman.
“It’s the centre of this community,” says Whitman. “There’s 25,000 cars going by here all day long and no better place to have a cenotaph to honour those than right here where people see it.”
The foundation of the cenotaph will be a massive octagon, surrounded by memorial stones. The actual cenotaph will sit directly in the middle of that octagon and will measure 18 feet tall. At each corner, a bottle that contains soil from one of four major Canadian battles will be buried.
“Soil taken from Vimy Ridge, WWI, Juno Beach, WWII, Kapyong in Korea, and Kabul in Afghanistan,” says Brayman.
Brayman and Whitman say they hope the cenotaph will be ready by Remembrance Day and that they are awaiting a decision from city council.
“Now it’s a matter of getting the staff to do their report at City Hall, so the elected officials can sign off on it and make it happen,” says Whitman.
The cenotaph is expected to cost $120,000, with fundraising covering some of that cost. The hope is that the city and province will make up the difference.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Matt Woodman
