Morris-Turnberry retains status quo on memorial gates in need of repairs

BY SCOTT STEPHENSON

Morris-Turnberry Council decided not to move forward with repairs to the memorial gates at the Turnberry Conservation Area. The decision was made during a regular meeting on Dec. 17, following a report from Chief Administrative Officer/Clerk Trevor Hallam.

 

Hallam presented a report on the gates, which commemorate veterans from Turnberry who served in the Canadian Forces. While acknowledging the historical and memorial significance of the gates, Hallam emphasized that the gates were built on property owned by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA), not the municipality. As a result, the municipality has no obligation to maintain or repair them. The report says that “if any part of the structure is located on the municipal right of way, it should be regarded as an encroachment.”

 

“I don’t want to diminish the historical or memorial significance of the gates, but I think as a purely financial decision for the municipality, staff are recommending that we do nothing because those gates were constructed on the agricultural park property, that is not municipal property,” Hallam said.

 

Hallam outlined several options available to council, including doing nothing, repairing the gates, restoring them or removing them entirely. The estimated cost for repairs ranged from $5,000 to $6,000 for minor masonry work to $20,000 for full restoration. However, neither of the quotes included work on the foundations, which are believed to be in poor condition and would add to the final cost.

 

Despite the financial considerations, Hallam noted that there had been community support for the gates, with correspondence from the Huron County Historical Society and council members relaying support from local residents. “If that support extends to financial support, and there’s efforts from the community to raise funds to restore or reconstruct this, then I think the least costly option would be reconstruction as a, kind of, reenvisioned monument and using some of the original materials, if possible,” Hallam said.

 

Councillor Sharen Zinn expressed concern about the safety of the gates, asking if the municipality would be liable if the structure were to fall and cause injury. Hallam was uncertain but suggested that Morris-Turnberry might be named in a lawsuit due to the gates’ location that encroaches the municipality’s road allowance.

 

Zinn also stressed the gates’ importance as the only veterans’ memorial in the municipality, but questioned whether spending $20,000 on restoration was justified. “I think this is our only memorial for veterans in our municipality. I think it’s important to keep it… I think this is an important part of our municipality,” she said.

 

Mayor Jamie Heffer noted that the decision to take no action would allow council to explore other options in the future. “It gives us an opportunity to come up with something that would be appropriate; take the time to figure that out,” Heffer said.
With the municipality’s budget process for 2025 approaching, council agreed to table the issue, with no action taken on the gates.