The city of North Battleford has given the go-ahead to place headstones on unmarked graves in the veterans section of the City Cemetery.
The longstanding issue was resolved at last Monday's council meeting, when the city supported unanimously a new resolution authorizing the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 70 to place the veterans' headstones on the unmarked graves, on the understanding that if evidence reveals the headstone had been inappropriately placed and a proper objection made, it will be removed.
The new resolution replaced an old resolution that had been tabled from last year, one that did not contain the additional wording about removal of an inappropriately-placed headstone.
The issue of the placement of headstones had been a longstanding one for council. In 2009, then-mayor Julian Sadlowski had met with Marilyn Clark and Larry Schmidt of the Royal Canadian Legion on the issue, and he had further discussions with a number of others involved in the Legion. Sadlowski stated in a Sept. 14, 2009 memo that the Legion want to place the headstones as a way to improve the aesthetics of the veterans' section. The Last Post Fund covers program costs.
At issue was verifying whether the unmarked graves had indeed belonged to veterans. Extensive investigation and research was done that fall. The vast majority were identified as belonging to veterans, but uncertainty still remained about a few of the graves.
Sadlowski indicated at an Oct. 19 council meeting the veterans' section still had 13 unidentified graves with no knowledge of whether the individuals interred were veterans or civilians. Earlier estimates had placed the number even higher, up to 27. It was known that some women and infants had been buried in unmarked graves.
In a legal opinion to the City, lawyer Eldon Lindgren stated it would be appropriate for the city to authorize the Legion to place headstones on the unmarked graves, but on the understanding that if it was revealed the headstone had been inappropriately placed it would be removed.
"We are of the opinion that the possibility of any potential liability of the City is negligible at best, and, in any event, such potential problem could be dealt with if it occurred in the future at little expense to the City," Lindgren stated.
Council moved swiftly after receiving the legal opinion to go ahead with giving the green light to the Legion to put up headstones.
Councillor Trent Houk said that after receiving the letter, "I am very comfortable moving forward with this."
