Southampton Cenotaph area revitalization continues to be an issue. On Monday, August 11th, Jarvis Clandfield, Landscape Designer of R.J. Burnside Engineering brought forward a report along with conceptual drawings of a proposed design for the area to Council.
The area, at the intersection of Huron and High Streets, is the current location of the Cenotaph and, among proposed improvements, are:
- the addition of two memorial walls on curb extensions/’bump-outs’, one on each corner adjacent to the Cenotaph. The walls would bear the names of local service men and women who served in World Wars I and II
- the restoration and maintenance of the existing Cenotaph cairn and cross
- landscaping on the traffic island be rejuvenated
- the Mosquito Bomber Interpretive plaque now located in George Marion Park to be relocated to the Cenotaph area
- a duplicate of Women in Military Interpretive plaque be located to the area
- benches be installed on each ‘bump-out’
A Cenotaph Ad Hoc Committee was established by the Town in December, 2024, to arrive at recommendations for the revitalization and, once determined, the Committee was disbanded in March, 2025.
Deputy Mayor Diane Huber, who also Chaired the Ad Hoc Committee, said that she is in support of the enhancement of the area to “… create a more touchable experience for families, veterans, visitors and local residents … to respect and acknowledge the contributions and sacrifices made by local men and women for the good of Canada” however, she said that the proposed walls seem too dominating and asked that they be scaled back.
She also does not like the colour of the granite suggested (a dark gray/black) and would prefer to see a light beige or stone-colour to reflect the coastal nature of the community and wants to see the granite sourced locally in Ontario with a possibility of acquiring it from the Bruce Peninsula. Huber also pointed out that, although the area in the centre of street is named Millard Boulevard, it is actually a ‘traffic island’. “During Ad Hoc deliberations, we specifically asked for landscaping rejuvenation on the traffic island. We also felt it important that we consult with SON (Saugeen Ojibwe Nation) and that they be included. They have now arrived at November 9th as a day of remembrance and they have plans to improve their own Cenotaph in the future. So, it’s really important that we reach out to them and be responsible in terms of what they would like us to represent.”
According to Huber, within five years there will be a much bigger conversation about having the Cenotaph relocated to a larger space “… but we aren’t there yet”.
She pointed out that her grandfather’s name will be on the commemorative wall. “I’ve seen a lot of change over the years and a lot of it not great in my opinion. However, I believe that the enhancements we can make to public spaces and infrastructure are investments worth making. People living here and visitors are coming from all over the world … I will support this as people will see that Cenotaph and understand what it means to us and it will provide a great place for people who have a connection to somebody from Southampton who served in World War I and II. I don’t want to see this suspended or held off as this is a good thing to do for our community.” She also disagreed with those who say that Council does not listen. “We do listen.”
Councillor Cheryl Grace also did not like the scale of the commemorative walls and agreed with the Deputy Mayor that the colour of the walls was not suitable. “I am concerned with how this design has been presented to us and I don’t think I can support this in its present version.”
Councillor Dave Myette expressed concern over the Southampton Legion branch not be consulted with the design. “I realize they do not hold a veto and cannot dictate what the design will look like but they have an important role. They are the keepers of memories of the soldiers since the end of the wars. So, I think we need to take their comments seriously.”
Myette said that although he is not a ‘monument expert’, there are companies and designers and government organizations that specialize in commemorative areas and cenotaphs. He pointed out that upon researching the Burnside company website, “…nowhere does it indicate that you/the company provides a commemorative or cenotaph service. I think we have limited ourselves and I get the feeling we are rushing this. I was hoping that there would be a range of designs presented instead of this one preliminary design. I’m not confident that we have explored all the options that are available to us when it comes to designing a proper monument that is going to last for decades if not centuries to come … and we want to get it right. Based on these reasons and my gut feeling, I cannot support this design.”
CAO Kara Van Myall pointed out that the Cenotaph revitalization was included in the design and budget for Southampton’s main street (High St.) and that it should be removed from the next phase of construction and be considered at a later date.
Vice-deputy Mayor, Mike Myatt, who was past chair of the Port Elgin Cenotaph project, agreed that it should be removed. He said “… at that time in Port Elgin several designs had been presented … until we got it right and I don’t think we’ve got this right. I think we need to take a look at the shape, the size, the look and feel and I don’t think it fits in. He pointed out that the Port Elgin Cenotaph had been moved from the library to its location on Mill Street. “Look what we have … it’s a showcase … and I think we can create something in Southampton that really jumps out at us.”
He went on to say that, although he admires the work done by Burnside engineering, there are companies that are monument design companies that have done it for decades. “When we did the Port Elgin cenotaph, we found a monument company that had been in the business for a long time. When the Legion said they had not been consulted, that alarmed me a bit. I think we need to take a pause. Whatever we are going to spend, we need to get this right.”
Councillor Bud Halpin questioned why the project would go ahead if an alternate location was being considered in the future and Councillor Justin Duhaime pointed out that the intersection was extremely busy during the summer. “… I think we are trying to put something (walls) in the location that it is not meant to be there.”
“I am heartbroken about this,” said Deputy Mayor Huber. “There have been a number of times in downtown Southampton when we gotten very close to something really cool happening and it’s been curtailed through our inability to see a bigger picture, a bigger vision or to see an opportunity to create something that would be pretty special.”
“I looked at a building at the corner of High Street and Victoria Street the other night and racoons came out of a garage … looking at a building where a few years ago there was an opportunity for Museum expansion – that got curtailed. I look at the Town Hall … we spent months creating, dreaming and talking about and having ideas bantered back and forth … came up with a concept idea … people were upset with colours and that all went by the wayside. Here we are years later with a library that’s inadequate, a Town Hall that still doesn’t have a decent elevator and doesn’t have proper public bathrooms.”
“I see this (Cenotaph) as doing something pretty special for downtown and creating something. I am disappointed that a design has come back with a starkness to it … the ad hoc committee saw some Sanderson stuff and they recently did the MacTier monument … I don’t know if they were consulted … I think we would be making a very big mistake if we kick this to the curb. It will be years before we get back to it and I see that as really unfortunate and kind of sad … this means that this is off the table now probably for another ten years and that’s exactly what happened with the Town Hall and library and we know what’s going on at the corner of Victoria and High Streets with a building that’s sitting there and that could have been something pretty special.”
Huber also said that she was disappointed with the design concept as it didn’t reflect the vision that was talked about by the Ad Hock Committee.
Before calling for Council’s vote, Mayor Luke Charbonneau said that he would like to see a decision made. When the revitalization of the Cenotaph was raised, he said that “…we were eager to work with the Legion and a fundraising campaign. Then the leadership of the legion changed and they wanted something different. So, we struck the Ad Hoc Committee to which I personally invited the Legion President to join, which he did. Now, the leadership of the legion has changed again and they are telling us they weren’t consulted – it is a little frustrating.”
He went on to say that Council wants to “…make something really awesome … of the Cenotaph location” … “the committee came to us and said that it was to be restored and we said yes let’s do that”. In frustration, the Mayor added, “I don’t know how to proceed. We just keep trying with committees, consultations, public meetings and we end up back here where we can’t do anything. In my view, we can’t send this back to staff … there are enough who don’t like the design and it will be defeated. So, I think it should just get tabled. Maybe the legion wants to strike a committee and come back to us or some community group. Council is very open to hearing from the Legion and the community but stop hammering us on facebook because that is a waste of your time! If you love the Cenotaph as we do, then get together as a group go to the legion and come up with some ideas and Council will work with good ideas.”
Recommended Resolution: That Council approve the Final Design for the Southampton Cenotaph Upgrade Project
The resolution was defeated.
