The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Lest We Forget? Flin Flon area residents will be remembering for a long time to come. The Royal Canadian Legion last week unveiled a refurbished Cenotaph at a ceremony with all the pomp and circumstance befitting the occasion. 'I hope that we have a Cenotaph for the next 54 years as well,' Bob Penner, president of the local Legion, told a crowd of 50-plus people gathered around the war monument. Penner was referring to the fact that it had been exactly 54 years earlier _ on Aug. 9, 1959 _ that the Cenotaph was originally dedicated on Hill Street. Standing tall and proud against a bright blue sky, the Cenotaph looked as magnificent as it must have at its initial dedication. Over the past several weeks, the monument has undergone a roughly $45,000 overhaul complete with a new cement pad. The aging handrail surrounding the Cenotaph was replaced with a black wrought-iron gating that glistens in the sun. It includes a panel, overlooking Third Avenue, with the laser-cut message of 'Lest We Forget.' Two panels, each bearing the familiar image of a poppy, adorn the front gate. Of course the focal point remains the plaque, at the base of the monument, that bears the names of the Flin Flon area's known war dead. The project, Penner said, is important to ensuring the 'Lest We Forget' message remains prevalent. 'If we forget the purpose of the Cenotaph, then everything is bound to repeat itself over time,' he said. During his address, Penner took time to commend the business community and general public for supporting the refurbishment. The 25-minute rededication ceremony, held last Friday in the bright summer sun, saw several dignitaries in attendance. Coun. Ken Pawlachuk, Ald. Lorene Bonnett and Mayor Carl Lentowicz brought congratulations from the City of Flin Flon, Town of Creighton and Northern Village of Denare Beach respectively. Reps for MLA Clarence Pettersen and MP Niki Ashton also spoke briefly as members of the Legion Colour Party stood nearby. Dignitaries laid wreathes at the base of the Cenotaph, with opening and closing prayers adding a spiritual touch to the proceedings.
