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Cenotaph completion in sight for spring

Benches for phase three of the cenotaph park enhancement project will be installed when the weather decides to cooperate.
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Photo of the bronze at the Cenotaph. Photo by Chrissy Da Silva.

The cenotaph has been a work in progress over the last few years. The enhancement project - which will ultimately benefit the community of Cochrane not only come Remembrance Day - will begin to show more and more signs of completion near spring.

An initiative set forth by Dan Kroffat last November saw a large cenotaph fundraising donation box visit three establishments in Cochrane to contribute to phase three of the project. This included purchasing benches with the money raised, which the town has since put bases in for.

"We got $5,830 from Dan Kroffat's efforts and that was good, we got an additional $1,500 (round figures) donations from other sources that came directly to the Legion and so cumulatively we ended up with about $7,100 (round figures)," mentions Dave Usherwood, cenotaph enhancement project leader.

Usherwood added that thanks to the generosity of the community they exceeded the amount of money required to purchase the benches. Brought to the table were four different bench options which the committee was given quotes for ranging anywhere from $600 to $2,100 per bench. After it was all said and done the benches decided upon will cost $5,750, which were covered by Dan Kroffat's intentions.

"The benches have been ordered and the money has been spent. The town has agreed to install them, the only reason they haven't appeared is because of the snow cover and cold," explains Usherwood.

After a meeting with the town late last week, Usherwood was told that as soon as the weather breaks and time is allotted, the benches will appear and can begin to be of use. Realistically, Usherwood is expecting to see the benches some time in March, weather permitting.

Fueling the local economy, Usherwood and the Cenotaph committee assigned all work orders to contractors in Cochrane, taking away the flag poles which was the only major expense outside of the town.

There are a few other aspects to the completion of phase three of the cenotaph. On the to-do list are some landscaping duties, an additional installation of a trash can and a naming stone, which the town will spearhead. This has left one thing on the agenda for Usherwood and the committee to complete.

"I'm going to call them corner 'fence-ettes'. They're basically being put on the streetscape of the town right now, they are sort of like a half wagon wheel. You can see them at Main Street and 4th Avenue, but they're all over the downtown core and the Quarry area," said Usherwood.

In talks with the town, a conclusion was met to allow these 'fence-ettes' within the cenotaph landscape to showcase continuity within Cochrane.

The 'fence-ettes' will cover around 1,100 sq. ft and are said to be at eight various corner locations throughout the cenotaph park. This final project will cost roughly $10,000 which Usherwood said he will begin to fundraiser for in the near future. The surplus of the remaining money raised, which is roughly $1,350, will go toward purchasing the 'fence-ettes'.

"Being optimistic I'm hoping to have the three year project completed this spring and the 'fence-ettes' installed and a ceremony held with the town, turning the complete project over to the town for further maintenance," he said.

The cenotaph project when finally accomplished will be in excess of $200,000. Taking away grants that were obtained, Usherwood says the community itself raised $100,000.

"Hats off to the community for being supportive of the cenotaph and for things military. Your support of the cenotaph project is outstanding and much appreciated and jointly we've given back through the committee's efforts and the donor's support and we've been able to give back to the community and create something that will benefit us in our time and future generations."

 

 

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