Public Service Announcement
Cenotaph Makeover Almost Complete
(Friday, April 9, 2010) – As the country commemorates Vimy Day 2010 – End of an Era, the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is marking the final phase of the major restoration work undertaken on the cenotaph in the Capital City’s Grand Parade.
After the 2008 Outdoor Public Art inventory review identified the Cenotaph as a priority, restoration and maintenance work began last summer. However, workers soon discovered that 80 years of wear and water infiltration had caused significant erosion to the monument’s foundation. A complete dismantling of the monument was required.
Prior to the 2009 Remembrance Day ceremony, the majority of work was completed. This included the restoration of the integrity of the foundation, proper drainage to prevent future degradation and the rebuilding of the structure. To allow water to seep through the joints over the winter months, the final stages of the project have just begun.
Work on the final details is now underway and will take just a couple of weeks to complete, allowing the cenotaph to stand in honour for our military heroes for decades to come.
The contract for this project was awarded to Wildwood Masonry through a tender process. Members of Wildwood’s staff worked in close consultation with a local heritage conservator throughout the project. Veterans Affairs Canada and HRM funded the restoration.
Unveiled on Dominion Day 1929, the Cenotaph initially stood as a memorial to those died and all who served in the First World War. Since then, it has also become a tribute to both the soldiers of World War II and the Korean Conflict.
The sculpture was designed by Scottish-born sculptor Massey Rhind. Examples of his prolific designs can be found across Nova Scotia and North America, including the war memorials in Chester and New Glasgow and in elements of Grant's Tomb and the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial in Washington, DC.
- 30 -
Contacts:
Shaune MacKinlay
Manager, Public Affairs
Halifax Regional Municipality
(902) 490-6531
Ann Marie Duggan
Facility Development, Buildings
Halifax Regional Municipality
(902) 490-4180
