Owen, 10, draws winning design for war memorial
THE final design has been chosen for a memorial that will honour Dennistoun’s war dead.
As told in the Evening Times, taxi driver Jim Watson pledged to raise £10,000 for a permanent reminder in Alexandra Park.
Now the look of the memorial has been chosen following a competition with local schools.
And proud Owen McGuire’s marble and steel design will be turned into the war memorial.
Owen’s head teacher at St Denis’ Primary School, Louise Mackie, said she couldn’t believe her pupil had won the honour.
Ms Mackie said: “St Denis’ is a large part of the community and so we want to participate in anything that promotes the community and celebrates it.
“When we handed over the bundle of designs from our school we were not thinking for a minute that we would win.
“Then, when I came back to school after the summer holidays I had a lovely letter from Jim telling us that Owen had won.
“I was absolutely delighted. It is wonderful that something designed by one of our pupils will be a permanent memorial i n our l ocal community.”
Owen’s design is in grey blue marble with steel lettering and features a circle with a poppy.
The P7 pupil, who was in P6 when he drew the memorial, added the words: “Remember everyone who lost their lives for us.”
Jim said the 10-year-old’s design stood out from hundreds of entries and will be the perfect way to honour those who gave their lives.
The 49-year-old said: “We were blown away by some of the imaginations of some of the kids.
“Owen’s design covered everything we were looking for – in particular including a poppy in the de- sign – and now we are getting the best quality materials we possibly can for it.
“It was important to me to get the local schools involved and they have really done us proud.”
Jim finally reached his £10,000 target earlier this month, in part thanks to a £10,000 donation of £1000 from the Parachute Regimental Association of Glasgow and the West of Scotland.
Lots of local community groups and residents chipped in to help make the memorial a reality.
Jim, a former Territorial Army solider, said the memorial should be ready for unveiling in 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of World War I’s ceasefire.
There will be a grand unveiling and a parade through Den- nistoun for the memorial’s installation.
Jim encouraged local schools to get involved, with St Denis’ joined by Golfhill and Alexandra Parade primaries and Whitehill Secondary pupils all entering the competition.
An architect has also been appointed to plan the memorial, which will honour the First World War dead as well as those fallen in subsequent conflicts.
Jim’s work on the memorial has also seen him research Dennistoun’s part in the First World War and he found 874 men from the area who died i n the conflict.
Support for the endeavour has been given by social landlord Milnbank Housing Association and Councillor Elaine McDougall.