Harry Spicer says the Shellharbour City Memorial is one of the finest memorials in the Illawarra - the only problem is many people don't know it exists.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Spicer, the president of the Australian Korea Veterans Association and Trustee of the Albion Park RSL sub-branch, wants Shellharbour City Council's money and support to build an arch at the Shellharbour memorial, located in Harrison Park.
"People drive straight down Memorial Drive towards the memorial but people think that it is a little park," Mr Spicer said.
"Half of Shellharbour City don't know that we have a memorial and the majority would not know where it is ... for a city like ours that is not acceptable."
Mr Spicer said he had been in discussions with the council on behalf of the sub-branch to have the memorial upgraded.
"What we would like is an arch at the front on which we would have the army, navy and air force badges ... council could pay for the design and we could raise the rest.
"Why should the RSL pay for it all ... they are the people that fought for this country and now they have to fight for a memorial for the mates that they lost.
Shellharbour council's director of corporate policy, Lee Furness, said while the council was happy to have a proposal put forward for consideration, council's current focus was on asset renewal.
"This is not a priority for us and as such we don't want to put any money into the design as it is unbudgeted ... $500,000 was spent on the memorial some 10 years ago."
Ms Furness said the memorial's current design was agreed to on the basis of significant community consultation and council records showed it was designed as "a central place of worship and remembrance" for the whole Shellharbour community.
In 2003 the council's then general manager, Brian Weir, said a memorial working party, comprising representatives of the community and local RSLs, had worked closely with council officers and designers to bring the memorial to fruition.
"The memorial working party members were insistent that this facility should be a central place of worship for all and not just for the purposes of remembering those lost in wars," Mr Weir said at the time.
"For this reason our memorial is non-sectarian and represents all those who have served for Shellharbour, from our emergency services personnel to volunteers, to our returned service men and women."
Ms Furness said there were two designated war memorials in the city.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Does the Shellharbour City Memorial need an arch?
letters@illawarramercury.com.au
