Welland Canal workers’ memorial in line for funding

‘Gates of remembrance’ artwork will list the names of those who were killed

A new memorial park paying tribute to the 137 men killed in horrific construction accidents during the building of the Welland Canal appears to be on track for completion this year with regional politicians unanimously approving $234,000 in regional funding toward the $1.2-million project.

Greg Wight, volunteer fundraising chair for the task force spearheading the Welland Canal Fallen Workers Memorial, said support of the region was crucial for the installation of artwork to go ahead during Canada’s sesquicentennial year.

“We need an investment from regional council to make this happen,” Wight told the region’s planning and economic development committee recently. The unanimous approval by the committee still needs to be ratified by regional council.

The memorial initiative, in the works since 2013, will see artwork designed by Toronto artist Dereck Revington installed in a passive setting next to the canal near Lock 3 in St. Catharines.

It will feature a “gates of remembrance” piece of art detailing the names of the workers who died, the dates of their deaths and a 40foot metal veil.

“Visitors on foot, bike, ship, or in cars will be able to remember the men who built this engineering marvel, the Welland Canal,” said Rebecca Cann, cultural services supervisor for St. Catharines.

The $234,000 will come from the region’s waterfront investment program.

St. Catharines has already committed an equal amount — a requirement for the project to qualify for the regional waterfront program.

“The waterway has influenced the social, cultural, and environmental fabric of Niagara for generations,” Wight said.

At the unveiling of his designs at the park site in 2015, Revington said the place will be somewhere people can come for deep reflection.

“You feel as though you’ve entered a sacred place,” he said. “I can imagine people from all walks of life coming here.”

Wight said the campaign is now about $100,000 shy of the $1.2-million goal. On May 31, a new community fundraising campaign kicked off to push the campaign to the target.

The campaign was kicked off with a donation from Karen Hunt and Carol Reid, both granddaughters of Elzear Lynch, who, along with his son Leo, was crushed to death by hundreds of tonnes of collapsing steel during the canal construction.

“We are so pleased to see the memorial finally coming to life,” they said in a news release. “It will be a special place for f amily members to remember their loved ones and for the community to gather and remember their sacrifices.”

Donations are being accepted online at www.stcatharines.ca/donate . Donations can also be made in person at the Welland Canal Centre and St. Catharines Museum, or in person at St. Catharines City Hall.