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Friday, June 27, 2025

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Enhancements to veterans memorial completed in Neepawa

Cemeteries are a place of peaceful remembrance. Recent upgrades to a portion of Neepawa’s Riverside Cemetery have now enhanced that feeling. This was the overhaul of the Neepawa Legion Ladies Auxiliary monument, which is a tribute to honour all veterans who served their country. Enhancements were also made to the area surrounding it.

“[It’s] undergone a significant upgrade,” said Kathy Jasienczyk, Legion Ladies Auxiliary member and committee chair for the project. “The upgrades have been several years in the making.”

Jasienczyk added, “We’re really really proud of it. It really highlights the veterans area.”

The first portion of the work began in approximately 2018, with fundraising efforts by the Ladies Auxiliary to pay for the memorial enhancements. The Davidson Memorial, also known as the Stone Angel, was also cleaned.

Then came the landscaping, which was designed by Glenda McPhee. Meetings with Town of Neepawa staff and councillors were held to discuss the project, which included the implementation of a cement pad, adjustments to the positioning of the memorial stone and more.

“The Town offered to re-adjust the Memorial Stone to face the roadway as well as installing a higher base to enhance its visibility,” said

Jasienczyk. “The Town also agreed to install the pad in front of the memorial.”

The cement pad itself is also of significance, as the materials used by the cemetery staff are from the Perpetual Care stone cores that were removed from gravesites during the overhaul of the grounds.

“Much appreciation goes out to Matt and his staff that designed and installed the hundreds of cores in the heat of summer. It is satisfying to know that a part of the history of the cemetery is still being used to beautify the grounds,” Jasienczyk enthused.

Topping off the overhaul and adding to the overall look of the site are the following items:

• A stone bench, provided by the Town and paid for by the Auxiliary;

• Flower pots from the Town, with f lowers planted by the Auxiliary.

• Three Japanese Silk Lilac Trees from the Town; and,

• Three white Potentilla bushes from the Auxiliary.

“The site upgrades were completed about a month ago, and we’d just planted the flowers a couple weeks ago,” said Jasienczyk.

Providing a final comment, Jasienczyk added, “The collaboration between the Town and the Legion Auxiliary has created a restful, tranquil spot, in an area amongst the many veteran markers. We hope people will take a moment to pause and reflect and enjoy the serenity.”