The City of Dawson Creek is moving ahead with plans to give its cenotaph a refresh, with a community-led committee working to ensure the memorial continues to honour local veterans for generations to come.
The cenotaph, located beside City Hall, was originally erected in 1959. It has served as a place to remember local veterans who died in overseas conflicts and has hosted community commemorations for decades.
The Cenotaph Revitalization Committee has spent the past year looking at ways to improve the site while preserving its purpose as a place of remembrance.
That work has included reviewing the memorial’s history, identifying key project values and developing a draft concept plan for the surrounding plaza.
Five values are guiding the project: remembrance and sacrifice, inclusion and accessibility, community connection, peace and reflection, and youth engagement.
The proposed improvements could include better accessibility, more space for ceremonies, additional seating and landscaping, enhanced flag displays and opportunities to share the history of the memorial.
The plan also aims to create a space that can accommodate formal commemorations while offering visitors a place for quiet reflection.
Alongside the site planning, the committee is researching veterans’ names that could be added to the memorial. It is drawing on the Books of Remembrance, the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, historical records and community sources to help ensure local veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice are appropriately recognized.
The committee is also consulting with Indigenous Nations, Métis organizations, veterans’ groups, historians, community organizations and regional partners as the project develops.
The City said more information will be shared in the coming weeks, including the draft concept plan and opportunities for residents to review the veterans’ names being considered for inclusion and provide feedback.
