Lost to the Sea Memorial - conceptual drawing.
Published on Oct. 28, 2011
© The Yarmouth Vanguard
Article by Tina Comeau
The Lost to the Sea Memorial has been, for the time being, lost to high tenders.
Prices to construct the memorial, which came back in a recent tender process, were more than double what was being budgeted for. As a result, the construction of the memorial - being undertaken by the Yarmouth Waterfront Development Corporation - is now being pushed back further into next year.
The Lost to the Sea Memorial will bear the names of Yarmouth County residents who have died at sea - and not only from recent accidents or tragedies, but also dating to the age of schooners when ships sailed out to sea and members of those crews never came home. Those who died while serving in the navy and merchant marine navy during wartime will also be remembered.
The list of names gathered - work being carried out by the Yarmouth County Historical Society at the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives - has grown considerably since this memorial was first envisioned years back, and this has changed the size of aspects of the memorial.
"The tenders came in well over budget," Deputy Mayor Byron Boudreau recently informed Yarmouth Town Council. As a result he said a decision has been made to cancel the recent tender call.
A funding partner for the project is Canadian Heritage, which has been contacted and is receptive to extending its funding deadline into (sic) further into the new year. "This will allow us to review the design work and the economics to (aim for) completion in early summer."
In the interim, Boudreau said, quotes will be obtained for the stone display for the names, which includes a bronze ship's wheel.
The Yarmouth County Museum and Archives continues to research the names.
"There are 2,200 names and counting," said Boudreau, who said it is a far cry from the hundreds of names that had been originally anticipated.
"We expected around 250," he said.
The concept of a Lost to the Sea Memorial is one that had been discussed for years. Indeed, this particular project was being talked about back in 2006.
In 2010 the project starting (sic) gaining more fuel. In September 2010 it was stated the memorial could cost around $610,000 with the federal foundation Canadian Heritage looking to contribute 50 per cent of the cost. It was stated at the time that the waterfront corporation would be responsible for coming up with the rest.
In March 2011 an announcement of $225,000 for the project from Canadian Heritage was announced by West Nova MP Greg Kerr.
The site for the monument - to be located on the corner of Water and Glebe streets - was chosen in 2006. That same year officials had turned to the public for suggested concepts and eight were received and viewed. The chosen design came from James Colbeck
Earlier this year the intention was to construct the memorial in time for a Dec. 31 unveiling, since the project has been deemed a legacy project of the Yarmouth 250th, which is coming towards the end of its year-long celebrations.
In more recent months the decision had been made to aim for a completion of the project and an unveiling in the spring.
