Along with the Penticton Vees, another group is seeing a street name changed to honour them.
Council voted this week to rename Forbes Street to Veterans’ Way at the request of the Penticton Veterans’ Association. Speaking for the group, spokesman Alan Kidd made an impassioned presentation at council’s March 4 meeting.
“About a block from here, at the corner of Nanaimo and Main, several dozen volunteers got together at the call of their government. The year was 1914. Four years later, 77 of those boys didn’t come home. Once a year, we remember them,” said Kidd. “We are asking city council that Penticton remember them by renaming Forbes Street.”
Council required little discussion before voting unanimously to support the name change. Kidd said the veterans are enthusiastic about how well their proposal was received.
“The street name change is underway as we speak,” said Kidd, who admitted he didn’t know how long the process would take. “I had the impression that they felt this was an initiative they felt was long overdue.
“The big thing is we have been able to rename our street that borders our Veterans’ Memorial Park. It is the city making a statement that they care as well.”
Council didn’t vote on a second request from the Veterans’ Association for support and assistance of council in adding a commemorative plaque to honour Capt. Jonathan Snyder, who died in Afghanistan in 2008.
“We are limited in our funding. We have a maintenance budget for Veterans’ Park, but we are short on funds to do the project we would like to do,” said Kidd, who admitted they didn’t have a firm plan yet, but hoped to schedule it with a similar action council approved on Feb. 4, to install a commemorative sign in the 100 block of Main Street.
Council has also put that plan on hold after the veterans explained that it wouldn’t be in keeping with the protocols for honouring fallen soldiers. Brian Hughes, who brought the idea forward, hoped to have former Governor-General Adrienne Clarkson attend the event.
“It’s been an incredibly worthwhile endeavour that he (Hughes) has embarked on, but there is some from of protocol apparently that has to be followed and that should be worked out between the veterans and Mr. Hughes’ request,” said Ashton.
Kidd explained that Hughes’ plan might seem to place one soldier’s sacrifice over another, which is not in keeping with their traditions.
“All soldiers are born without a rank and they die without a rank. They are recognized in Veterans’ Memorial Park for their ultimate sacrifice, no one made any more sacrifice than anyone else, so we treat them all the same, all equal,” said Kidd, who said they, nonetheless, will be moving ahead with a commemoration in keeping with protocol.
“That’s definitely in our schedule for this summer. We will have something inscribed, either a bronze plaque or a marble plaque on the existing monument,” Kidd said.