PEIThose who gathered Tuesday morning in Charlottetown to honour Prince Edward Island’s veterans were treated to a backdrop they haven’t seen in quite some time. In addition to the fencing surrounding Province House recently being removed after 10 years of renovations, a newly refurbished cenotaph also sits in front of the historic building. City council voted in July to restore the century-old bronze monumentStephen Brun · CBC News · Posted: Nov 11, 2025 11:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Charlottetown council voted earlier this year to refurbish the Soldiers’ Monument at a cost of $125,000, which the city shared with the federal government. (Aaron Adetuyi/CBC)Those who gathered Tuesday morning to honour Prince Edward Island’s veterans in Charlottetown were treated to a backdrop they haven’t seen in quite some time. The fencing surrounding Province House was recently removed after 10 years of renovations. And sitting in front of the historic building was the newly refurbished cenotaph, the monument honouring P.E.I.’s veterans that depicts three soldiers advancing into battle. Charlottetown council voted back in July to restore the bronze cenotaph, which marked a century at its post at the intersection of Grafton and Great George streets this year. LISTEN | Charlottetown’s cenotaph turns 100:Island Morning6:34Charlottetown’s cenotaph turns 100Charlottetown city council voted to restore the cenotaph back in July. Now it’s been refurbished in time for Remembrance Day — and for its 100th anniversary. Mayor Philip Brown stops in to tell us more.The refurbishment was completed just in time for the provincial Remembrance Day ceremony that’s held at the cenotaph each year. “It looks great with the opening of the … north lawn of the Province House. It’s great to see that,” Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown told Island Morning host Mitch Cormier. “This is one project that I’ve really admired a lot because it is right in the downtown.… It’ll be a great-looking scene for Canadians who are visiting and for Islanders who drive by it every day.”The cenotaph, also known as the Soldiers’ Monument, was unveiled July 16, 1925, by the family of Rena McLean, a P.E.I. nurse killed during the sinking of HMHS Llandovery Castle during the First World War. The hospital ship was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland in June 1918 while on a voyage from Halifax to Liverpool, England. ‘An enduring testament’A lot can change in 100 years, especially for a bronze monument that’s susceptible to weather elements. ‘It’s a testament of how much we, as Islanders, respect those who served for us,’ Charlottetown Mayor Philip Brown says of the cenotaph’s restoration. (Tony Davis/CBC)Brown said city officials felt this milestone anniversary year was the right time to refurbish the cenotaph for the first time since 2001, when the stone base was reconstructed and the statues re-bronzed. The project took three months and cost $125,000, a price tag that was shared with the federal government through Veterans Affairs Canada. While some finishing touches remain, the city’s stewardship of the monument will continue beyond the work this year. Ongoing maintenance of the cenotaph and other monuments and artwork around Charlottetown falls under the city’s public works department, and is overseen by an arts and cultural officer. Brown said the unveiling of the restored cenotaph in time for Nov. 11 was “a proud day” for the city. “For me, the monument remains an enduring testament of the bravery, sacrifice and dedication of Islanders who served in Canada’s military efforts,” the mayor said. “It’s a testament of how much we, as Islanders, respect those who served for us.”ABOUT THE AUTHORStephen Brun is the copy editor for digital news at CBC Prince Edward Island. A graduate of UPEI and Holland College, he has been a writer and editor for a number of newspapers and websites across Canada for nearly two decades. You can reach him at stephen.brun@cbc.ca.With files from Island Morning
Charlottetown’s cenotaph restored in time for Remembrance Day, and for its 100th birthday
