Landmark Building
CENOTAPH, 1931
Centre of west side of park (moved to 910-4th Avenue S), Lethbridge
Designed By: Coeur de Leon McCarthy
Built in 1931
','Cenotaph', 'Source: Lethbridge, Historical Walking Tour <br />(© Alberta Culture and Community Spirit)'); "Cenotaph")
The Cenotaph recalls the patriotism, heroism and sacrifice of the Great War years (1914-1918). Sculpted by Coeur de Leon McCarthy of Montreal and unveiled on June 7, 1931, the memorial is the embodiment, in stone, of the Canadian soldier. The larger-than-life statue and its granite pedestal stand 23 feet tall. The monument is embellished with a bronze wreath of maple leaves and poppies. On the front is inscribed: In Honour of Those Whose Names Endure; The Great War of 1914-1918; and They Have Passed On Leaving The Heritage Of A Glorious Memory, capturing the feelings of the era. On the back are the names of the battles in which the men of Lethbridge and district fought and died.
In March 1956 a delegation of the Army, Navy and Air Force Veteran's Club asked city council if they could add to the war memorial in Galt Gardens, to commemorate the Second World War and the Korean conflict. To do so, a granite slab was added to the base of the Great War memorial. Inscribed in the stone are the words, Lest We Forget, and, To the Glory of God And In Memory Of Those Who Fell During World War II And The Korean War. Below are carved 122 names of the dead.
By 1982 the war memorial in Galt Gardens had acquired a patina of grime and the lettering had faded. The Legion's Veterans' Field of Honour Committee offered to pay half of the $23,482 for the refurbishment and re-facing of the monument, providing that the City of Lethbridge supplied the other half. By June 1983, the monument was returned from Fairmont Granite Limited, in Beebe, Quebec, where it had been sent for
restoration.
The Cenotaph was relocated to the site of the new City Hall in 2000. It is the only war memorial in the city. As such, it not only serves to commemorate the conflicts already discussed, but is an implicit reminder of Lethbridge's participation in the Riel Rebellion (1885), the Boer War (1899-1902), and various peacekeeping missions around the world.
The Landmark Buildings and Places Database draws on the series of walking and/or driving tour booklets produced by Alberta Culture (now Alberta Culture and Community Spirit). The Heritage Community Foundation gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ministry through permission to reprint these materials online. Extracted from Lethbridge Historical Walking Tour. Alberta Community Development and the Sir Alexander Galt Museum & Archives, n.d., with permission from Alberta Culture and Community Spirit. Visit the Alberta Culture and Community Spirit for more information.