LAURIE WEIR
RIDEAU LAKES — Memorial banners honouring veterans could soon be flying in Rideau Lakes, but not without some conditions.
Council voiced support during the regular meeting of council on July 7 for a commemorative banner program proposed by the Royal Canadian Legion Upper Rideau Branch 542, located on Perth Road near Westport. The discussion focused on the use of the township logo and potential municipal liability.
In a letter dated July 8, branch president Capt. David Thurston (retired) asked for permission to display the township logo on banners recognizing local veterans.
“There is no financial request of council for this program to proceed,” Thurston wrote. “But, as a sign of your support, we would humbly request permission to add the logo of the township to the banners. This is a practice used by other legion branches who are participating in this program.”
The program is modelled after similar initiatives in nearby municipalities such as Smiths Falls and Perth, where banners are displayed for about a month leading up to Remembrance Day.
“It is designed to provide a visual reminder to the community of those who served in our Canadian Armed Forces,” Thurston noted. “The banners would feature members of our community in Rideau Lakes, both past and present.”
Coun. Sue Dunfield raised concerns about municipal liability, citing a past incident in Portland.
“For those of you who remember the Skate the Lake banners, at one point we had one fall on a car,” she said. “The brackets and everything caused a fair bit of damage to that particular car. We were responsible for the cost of the repairs.”
She asked whether the township could be held liable if a similar incident occurred involving a banner bearing the municipal logo.
Mayor Arie Hoogenboom said the logo simply identifies that the banners are located in Rideau Lakes.
CAO Shelley Fournier responded that logo use could raise liability concerns.
“I don’t want to say we would not be [liable], because for some reason, if the Legion didn’t have enough insurance to cover the damage, and somebody got killed or injured, it would come to our pockets in some form,” she said.
Coun. Linda Carr supported the program but pointed out that no sample design was submitted. Fournier confirmed that any design featuring the township logo would need to be approved under the existing logo use policy.
Coun. Dustin Bulloch also supported the initiative and recommended that council request a proof before granting final approval.
Council passed a motion to support the program in principle. A letter will be sent to the Legion confirming the township’s support, pending approval of the final banner design.
