With the shiny new WFCU centre open, the city closed down several community rinks and centres. Out front of the old Riverside Arena facing Wyandotte street is this Cenotaph.
This was the town of Riverside’s cenotaph, dating back to the days before it was swallowed up by Windsor.
I hope that our cultural affair department knows that this is here, and realizes the significance of it. Hopefully what ever fate befalls the arena, there is a provision made to keep the Cenotaph in the same place.
Hopefully no one shits the bed again.
Here, here! Thanks for raising this issue. Hopefully this helps raise the issue with the powers that be to prevent an embarrassing situation in the future.
i never even knew this existed. thanks Andrew!
Does anyone remember the yellow lights that use to shine on the building? you couldn’t look at them they were so bright.
I have lived in Riverside since the mid 60’s. I not only remember the yellow flood lights, but also the bronzed FN rifle with its bayonet embedded in the top of the cenotaph with a WW1 style helmet perched atop the rifle’s stock. Unfortunately, these disappeared sometime in the early 70’s. Anyone out there remember these?
If the arena is to be demolished, hopefully the property will not be sold to private developers and a memorial park can be created in its place.
A replica cenotaph has been erected in front of the pool, beside the old arena. The plaque has been removed from the original and installed in the new monument. Forms are in place to install benches on either side. The old cenotaph awaits demolition when the arena goes.
The cornerstone plaque has been removed from the arena itself, so it looks like the city learned a lesson from the Wyandotte viaducts.
Thanks Jim, I saw something that looked like a new cenotaph to the west of the arena. It looks much smaller, and I have to ask, but why couldn’t the original have been moved?
Because this is Windsor and the powers that be never do anything that makes sence