Soldiers' memorial may last centuries

Whangarei's relocated Cenotaph and new memorial wall to fallen soldiers will be unveiled in Laurie Hall park on Saturday. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A ceremony will mark the formal opening of the relocated Cenotaph and new memorial wall to fallen soldiers in Whangarei on Saturday.

The Laurie Hall Park war memorial - which includes the city's Cenotaph, relocated from Rose St - will be formally opened with a ceremony in the park from 9am. The memorial will form the centrepiece of next month's Anzac Day 100th anniversary commemorations.

"This is the culmination of years of planning and work by Whangarei District Council and the Returned Services Association, honouring those who have lost their lives serving this community, and creating place of contemplation that should last centuries," said the RSA's Archie Dixon.

District council parks manager Paul McDonald acknowledged the work of the project team which included Mr Dixon and Ian Reid from the RSA, councillors Glen and Martin and council project management and parks design staff.

"Everyone, RSA members, councillors, staff and contractors put months of blood sweat and tears into this once-in-a-lifetime project," Mr McDonald said.

"Its imposing grace, simplicity and beauty belie the very complicated details of the job. It presented significant engineering challenges and all involved brought a level of commitment and devotion to the job. I am in awe of the teams who worked on it. This was more than just a piece of landscaping - it affected us all."

The project included restoring and relocating the original World War I Memorial from Rose St to the site. Mr Reid worked with the community to compile up-to-date lists of Whangarei servicemen and women who lost their lives in conflicts in the past century, to be displayed on the memorial.

"The project has been completed on time and within budget," Mr McDonald said.

On Saturday schoolchildren and youth from uniformed youth groups will install white crosses in the Field of Remembrance, in the lawn in front of the memorial. Then Whangarei Mayor Sheryl Mai will unveil the new memorial.

"The morning will be one of solemn ceremony which will create a long-lasting memory for all present," Ms Mai said.

Youth from schools and youth organisations will place 200 crosses in the Field of Remembrance and RSA president Chris Harold will speak. Then the memorial will be unveiled and the site dedicated.

"Following this, there will be a guest speaker from Defence Headquarters, we will all sing the national anthems and a benediction will be followed by the closing," Ms Mai said.

"We are then inviting members of the public to place flowers or poppies on the Cenotaph."