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Cranbrook, BC (April 27, 2021) -- Creation of more open greenspace for visitors to Rotary Park while reducing clutter in a very active park space downtown is the reason behind the City of Cranbrook’s decision to remove the concrete memorial planters recently.

With reduced events and reduced public use of Rotary Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was an appropriate time to undertake this project. Removal of the concrete planters was conducted by Public Works this spring to allow for the grass in that space to regrow quickly. The concrete will be ground up and reused for some of our road projects this summer. 

The memorial planter was designed and built in 2012 to act as a space to honour prominent local citizens with the installation of bronze plaques. Since that time only two plaques have been installed. There was good intent behind the memorial planter, however, there has been very little uptake. The bronze plaques from this space have been safely removed and will be re-installed under a new program.

Moving forward, the City has a working group looking the program for commemorative banners which used to hang along the highway, this group will now include the development of new programs to recognize prominent citizens, including those that the two plaques commemorate. 

Photo: City Parks crews set up early Tuesday morning to remove the concrete memorial planter in Rotary Park. Photo City of Cranbrook.