A cooperative effort has officially begun to restore the Victims of Chemical Valley memorial at Centennial Park, a monument honouring those who lost their lives due to workplace exposures. The work is intended to ensure the memorial reflects its importance as a piece of the community’s history and culture, serving as a site of remembrance […]
A cooperative effort has officially begun to restore the Victims of Chemical Valley memorial at Centennial Park, a monument honouring those who lost their lives due to workplace exposures.
The work is intended to ensure the memorial reflects its importance as a piece of the community’s history and culture, serving as a site of remembrance and accountability for the human cost of industrial work. Local trade and labour groups are stepping up to contribute their skills and time to the project.
The memorial’s statue, originally created by artist Shawn McKnight, is being removed this week for offsite refurbishment. LiUNA Local 1089 contributed crews for concrete removal, and Lambton Metal Service is assisting with the statue’s removal.
Mayor Mike Bradley reflected on the significance of the collaboration, stating, "The spirit of Sarnia is powerfully reflected in this collaboration of remembrance, honouring the generations who built our community and lost their lives due to workplace exposures. Their legacy has shaped Sarnia into a recognized leader in workplace safety and occupational health."
City of Sarnia Chief Administrative Officer Chris Carter echoed this sentiment of community support: "It’s heartwarming to see so many coming together to advance this project. The memorial is a crucial piece of our history that honours our community members, and their families. We are so grateful to all the various labour, trade and industry groups who have stepped up to contribute, ensuring this memorial is restored to the vision of stakeholders and continues to serve as a place for reflection and remembrance.”
Once the statue is removed, the City and union/trade volunteers will work to realize a vision forwarded by the Victims of Chemical Valley Memorial stakeholder group, with several local companies and unions having expressed interest in assisting with next steps.
Sarnia & District Labour Council President Nick Dochstader expressed his excitement for the revitalization. "It is exciting to see a revitalization of the site. For those that have lost a loved one due to a workplace injury or illness, it will be wonderful to see the updated memorial come to completion. We look forward to having the annual ceremony for the National Day of Mourning held back at Centennial Park where it was intended.”
The new design will feature a stone ground surface, along with lighting, benches, new stone carvings, a drum circle area, storyboards, and new plantings. The project is estimated to cost approximately $$150,000$, a figure determined after designs were fine-tuned to mitigate the risks associated with the soil conditions at the site.
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