British ColumbiaThe City of Dawson Creek, B.C., is beginning the process of revitalizing its nearly 70-year-old cenotaph, a project residents say will build a more accessible and more representative space that honours the full story of military service in the South Peace region.Committee envisions new plaza that improves accessibility and honours full story of local veteransMatt Preprost · CBC News · Posted: Nov 11, 2025 10:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 6 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Armed Forces member Nathan Bauder, Dawson Creek Legion secretary Denise Young, and Coun. Kyle MacDonald at the local cenotaph outside city hall. They’re part of a committee working to redesign and revitalize the nearly 70-year-old monument. (Matt Preprost/CBC)The City of Dawson Creek, B.C., is beginning the process of revitalizing its decades-old cenotaph, a project residents say will build a more accessible and more representative space that honours the full story of local veterans in the South Peace region.A volunteer committee has spent the past year and a half bringing together legion and cadet members with city councillors to reimagine the aging monument, built in 1959 in memory of veterans from the First and Second World Wars.Their vision is to expand the site into a fully accessible plaza where residents can gather to reflect not just on Remembrance Day, but every day of the year.“If you want larger numbers to come and remember, which is the whole purpose, then having the space to do it is necessary,” says Nathan Bauder, a local Armed Forces member and reservist who leads the committee. “A place where everybody can congregate, I think, is really critical for this project.”After nearly 70 years, the monument stands outside city hall and shows its age. The stone and mortar is chipped and crumbling away, and the foundation is cracking under years of frost and thaw. During ceremonies, crowds line the narrow sidewalk, and there’s little room for vigil sentries or those who use walkers or wheelchairs.The foundation of the Dawson Creek cenotaph is cracking under years of northern frost and thaw. (Matt Preprost/CBC)The cenotaph also lacks what Bauder considers an important element: the names of local soldiers who served and died in times of war and in peacekeeping missions.“Those who did serve were the foundation of the community, from farming areas all around, not just the city of Dawson Creek,” he said. “Those families are still here. Their descendants are still here. We don’t know who they are if we don’t have their names.”“Cenotaph is Greek for ’empty tomb,'” he added. “So, it’s a headstone of sorts and there should be names that are there.”The Dawson Creek cenotaph bears a verse from the famous wartime poem In Flanders Fields, but Nathan Bauder notes it does not feature the names of local veterans who served in times of war and peacekeeping. (Matt Preprost/CBC)Coun. Kyle MacDonald, who sits on the revitalization committee, says the city has committed capital funds to kickstart planning, consultations and design work. The city hall grounds offer a large amount of unused green space and with it the opportunity to create a more welcoming setting, he said.“The cenotaph has served this community very well … but it is time,” he said. “It is time now for something new, something bigger, something better, and something that does a better job of recognizing the valuable members of the South Peace that have served in major conflicts, have served in peacekeeping missions, and have given so much.”Dawson Creek has a storied military history as it’s long been known as Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway, the war-time road built in just eight months during the Second World War that united Canada and the United States in the war effort. The Alaska Highway begins at Mile 0 in Dawson Creek, B.C. (Matt Preprost/CBC)Bauder envisions a redesigned monument surrounded by a public plaza that’s accessible to the elderly, large enough for ceremonies and school groups, and suitable for quiet visits through the year.He says the new space could feature interactive and educational elements, such as QR codes linking to veteran stories, recognition of Indigenous and Métis veterans, and even information on service animals once used in war.“With better lighting and trees and interpretive signs and plaques, youth can come with their teachers, bringing them here with people who are visiting from out of town,” he said. “Many people go to our Alaska Highway monument. Well, they should come and see our plaza, our park, our tribute to those who were the foundation of the community.”Bauder says the committee plans to spend the next year reaching out to residents, historians, and veterans across the region to gather stories and input on the design. It’s also engaging the Peace River Regional District for funding, and hopes to involve local artisans in the design and construction of the new cenotaph, he said.Nearly 70 years old, the Dawson Creek cenotaph is showing its age, with its stone and mortar form crumbling away, as seen here at one of its corners. (Matt Preprost/CBC)ABOUT THE AUTHORMatt Preprost is a reporter with CBC British Columbia based in Fort St. John, covering stories focused on the Peace Region and Northern Rockies. Email him at mathew.preprost@cbc.ca
Dawson Creek looks to revitalize aging cenotaph into year-round place of remembrance
