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Much-needed cleaning and restoration of the City of Nelson’s War Memorial began last week, ensuring its legacy for generations to come.
Funded through the Veteran Affairs Canada Commemorative Partnership program, this careful and detailed endeavour is being led by Chris Swetland of Swetland Enterprises, who recently completed restoration work on Ainsworth’s J.B. Fletcher building.
The Nelson War Memorial was constructed in 1922 in memory of local servicemen who lost their lives in the First World War. The cenotaph plaques were added later to include tributes to the local servicemen who lost their lives in the Second World War, the Korean War (1950-53) and the Boer War (1899-1902).
Originally, the cenotaph was placed in the 400 block of Vernon Street, then moved in the early 1980s to its present location in the courtyard of City Hall where the city’s annual Remembrance Day ceremonies are held, engaging youth, veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and the general public to honour the lives lost in service and lost in the wars.
This project is an initiative of the City of Nelson’s Cultural Development Committee, which is dedicated to the development, promotion and enhancement of Nelson’s art and culture sector.