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The Veterans Memorial Cenotaph in Altona has been relocated to its new home.

The monument was moved from the downtown area last week and now sits in front of the Rhineland Pioneer Centre on 10th Avenue NW.

The decision to relocate the monument was necessary in order to make way for some of the infrastructure needed to address the community's downtown drainage problem.

"I think everything went smoothly ... and after 25 years the cenotaph has a new home," said Mayor Al Friesen. "It's an exclamation mark on a story that began in spring and I think people driving or walking by will see the reason behind why this new location was selected."

In making the decision to move the monument, town council struck a subcommittee made up of councillor Harv Schroeder, Recreation Services Manager Eric Hildebrand and Police Chief Perry Batchelor who is a military veteran and has been involved with the cenotaph since joining the police service. That committee investigated several possible sites for the cenotaph and also took some time to reach out to the families who were originally involved in establishing the cenotaph to get their input.

"It wasn't an easy decision but I think it was still the best decision," said Batchelor " I don't think we wanted something so important to so many of us ... to be crowded out by the drainage infrastructure going into that downtown area. I appreciate that town council gave us some latitude by forming that committee to have some consultation. You're never going to please everybody ... but in my opinion, the new location is outstanding."

Mayor Friesen also feels the new location is ideal for the cenotaph and will provide the high visibility it deserves. He admits there was some initial resistance from some families to the idea of moving the monument but ultimately saw the reasons behind it and supported the new site.

"25 years ago, a group of veterans and community leaders established Altona's Cenotaph. This relocation is an opportunity to again recognize those veterans for their contribution to our community and our country and we feel that goal was accomplished."

Batchelor praised the town's parks department for their efforts in preparing the site and the careful job a crane crew did in moving the cenotaph and setting it down at its new location. A grant application has been sent to Veterans Affairs Canada to assist with the relocation and landscaping costs.

"The plan is to make it a beautiful memorial park similar to its downtown location. This is something that is near and dear to many of us and at the end of the day it will have tremendous visibility and I hope it's respected for years to come in its new location."

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