I walked Lamoureux Park one day last week, as many do every day.
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Kids on the play structure, biking, walking, jogging and even the odd kite flyer make good use of the scenic paths and grounds. While reading recently the SD & G Historical Society joined with an Irish Memorial Committee to highlight another group that helped form Cornwall, I thought this could be great. But that walk showed me this park is already trying to do too much.
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That Memory Lane brick path with engraved names is in dire need of some landscaping care and replacement bricks. Even the Mill Bell does not have the presentation it deserves anymore.
People could easily be fooled into thinking it was a Francophone who founded Cornwall, as that monument is very dramatic compared to the minor presentation cairn with a plaque dedicated to the United Empire Loyalist who did found Cornwall, but is almost hidden.
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The placement of a Celtic cross is a good idea and should go ahead; I just wonder what kind of look this park is going to have as other groups want recognition. Of course, continued maintenance of these individual sites should be addressed and some way to display and link the common history, recent or not. We can and should celebrate the individual, because it could be best for all, although upon occasion all taxpayers need to chip in for upkeep, so these committees should be expected to create a small reserve.
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A reserve fund that will help with continued maintenance and keeping the story alive.
http://cornwallirishmemorial.
http://www.waymarking.com/
http://www.cornwall.ca/en/
http://mondrapeaufranco.ca/
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There should be a monument in the park for the shelter and assistance provided to the UEL by Lower Canada (Quebec) the winter before they traveled up the river.
Celtic cross should be placed in the park. I thought I had knowledge of the history of Cornwall, these facts are very interesting. I also believe no other recognition needed.
Eric wrote: People could easily be fooled into thinking it was a Francophone who founded Cornwall, as that monument is very dramatic compared to the minor presentation cairn with a plaque dedicated to the United Empire Loyalist who did found Cornwall, but is almost hidden.
OMG what a disgrace!! Something must be done immediately. To have a plaque that is ALMOST hidden SHOULD BE AGAINST THE LAW.
God forbid that anyone would even think that francophones founded Cornwall.
Dr. Darby Bergin :
In 1868 the 59th(Stormont and Glengarry) Battalion of Infantry was formed with Col. Bergin as Commanding Officer. He remained in that position for 17 years, a record never to be surpassed .
Darby Bergin was named the 1st Surgeon General of Canada and in that position organized the Medical Forces that were sent out to help subdue Louis Riel ( North West Rebellion ) .
Dr. Bergin was 1st a Liberal , defeated and came back as a Conservative.
Served as MP Cornwall Township 1872-1875 & 1878-1882
MP for Stormont 1882-until his death in 1896 .A great Man.
Going back to 1847 Dr. Bergin was in charge of the temporary Hospital set up at Pointe Maligne assisted by Dr. MacDonald for those persons sick with Typhus Fever. Assisting these 2 Doctors were 2 Female Nurses & 2 male attendants. 234 patients were seen
182 were discharged 52 died .
Dr. Bergin & his brother a Lawyer were the owners of Stormont Stock Farm renown across the country for Stud Horses .
“People could easily be fooled into thinking it was a Francophone who founded Cornwall, as that monument is very dramatic compared to the minor presentation cairn with a plaque dedicated to the United Empire Loyalist who did found Cornwall, but is almost hidden.”
Thank the good Lord, that one of the components of the “Francophone Monument” was soundly rejected, by the Waterfront Committee. The original proposal was to have a 30×60 franco-Ontario flag, flying above the monument.
stellabystarlight, the Francophone monument was mentioned because of the disproportionate sizing as a comparison. The grandiose nature of some people’s thinking can be amazing as it affects their level of life somehow. Proper respect to our history should be the goal. I am still happy the City stopped the Francophone monument 80 foot flagpole with a 15 foot by 30 foot flag, it too would be disproportionate.
Thanks Eric for your great letter ,
Eric had written in the third paragraph:
“People could easily be fooled into thinking it was a Francophone who founded Cornwall, as that monument is very dramatic compared to the minor presentation cairn with a plaque dedicated to the United Empire Loyalist who did found Cornwall, but is almost hidden.”
I too have walked past this cairn many times and had not realized It was there or for what purpose.
It was only after contacting the United Empire Loyalist Association had I been given direction to the monument and its purpose.
For those many who have not realized it even existed the plaque reads as follows:
Cornwall & S.D.G 1784-2009
An understanding between Mohawk Chief,Thayenanegea (Joseph Brant) and Sir John Johnson led to the settlement of Cornwall and Stormont ,Dundas & Glengarry .
On June 6th ,1784 Loyalists camped on this plateau before travelling to their new homes .
Subsequently ,Scots ,Irish ,French Canadians and peoples from all corners of the globe arrived ,laying the foundation of today’s multicultural community.
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It had occurred to me after that this monument was not only about United Empire Loyalist but the inclusion of all other’s and it would appear to be a multicultural monument.
As being how it has been written this is not a United Empire Loyalist Monument but one for all founding peoples from around the globe and in the final comment it says” laying the foundation of today’s multicultural community.”
Was political correction at play ?,As all must be inclusive for a monument that was to be for one particular group that founded Johnstown (Cornwall)?
It was mine and as well as many of your own Ancestors that arrived at that plateau and endured such hardships to develop our fine community,and Country.
The wilderness and conditions were not very forgiving in those days but those hardy pioneers managed not only survive but thrive.
My Family Graveyard is this reminder of this past , ancestors who fought in the American war of Independence and the war of 1812 with many Loyalists and their children buried there .
There is a great wealth of history in this very old Graveyard ,a history that should have ALL of us proud of our past ,as decedents of very hardy pioneers who endured very real hardships to guarantee us with a great Community and Country.
Smith
September 30, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Lower Canada and Upper Canada were formed in 1791 and Cornwall was founded in 1784, they were just helping neighbours.
Good for you Eric for bringing up the true history of Cornwall. I too support the Celtic Cross idea. Dr. Darby Bergin is a great piece of Cornwall’s Irish History. The same goes for the United Empire Loyalists who are basically forgotten in this area. I am told that the new Canadian Museum of History in Hull, Quebec. makes no mention of the Scottish immigrants and how the Scots overwhelmingly helped shape Upper and Lower Canada.
Sad sad sad.
I worried that ‘Province of Quebec’ would be confusing.
Regardless, the shelter provided could still be acknowledged.
You are right Smith, most of us forget parts of our history and certainly timelines of events. Some of it is from not using the information regularly, learning or and I fear, from a rewriting of some history components.
But providing a thank you or recognition for something like human kindness, kind of goes against my thinking of that time frames values. It was just the right thing to do. Perhaps there is something listed in the United Empire Loyalist records.
Thanks Tammy Hart, this is probably the video concerning the Scottish history missing in the museum.
http://blogs.canoe.ca/lilleyspad/general/video-scots-left-out-of-canadian-history-at-museum/
Smith after reading this it looks like UEL really helped the Province of Quebec too. What an interesting and difficult time it must have been.
http://www.uelac.org/education/WesternResource/304-QB.pdf
Has work on this stopped?
https://cornwallirishmemorial.wordpress.com/