WHIEWATER REGION — A former employee of Whitewater Region will have to wait and see if his request to have the current Cobden Tourist Booth named after a former councillor will happen.
Dean Sauriol, who was the chief administrative officer from 1991 until 2010, sent a letter to council asking that the tourist booth be named after former resident and councillor Art Cobb, who died in November 2016.
In his letter, he noted Mr. Cobb ensured the tourist booth’s upkeep as well as its day to day operations. Parts of his letter reads: “In the mid 1990s, Mr. Cobb turned his efforts into the establishment and creation of the tourist booth that still exists today. He lobbied the provincial government and ultimately received the funds to build the tourist booth. Mr. Cobb promoted the tourist booth to the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association, who at the time only provided tourist information to a select few tourist booths. His persistence, determination and vision paid off and the OVTA began to provide tourist information into the Whitewater Tourist Booth. Art recruited the only volunteer seniors brigade in Renfrew County to operate a tourist booth. I feel very strongly that without Mr. Cobb and his determination this would never have happened or even been thought of….I would ask that council consider naming the tourist booth in the name of Art Cobb. The purpose of this would be to recognize and honour a man who gave his time freely not for any personal gain but for the joy of providing a tremendous service to tourists from all parts of the globe. This would be a tribute to a person who dedicated his heart and soul to this tourist booth for more than 20 years.”
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay said staff will work to create a commemorative naming policy.
“We have a number of long-serving volunteers and former members of council who have unfortunately passed away,” he said. “Sometimes it is meaningful and appropriate to name things after them.”
It’s best if a policy were created so that when requests like this come forward, they can be dealt with in the best way, CAO Tremblay said. As an example, family members should be contacted to see if they support the commemoration and how to proceed with public notice, he explained.
A list of facilities that should be and should not be included would have to compiled and possibly providing a list of sponsorships for the commemorative naming, CAO Tremblay continued.
Mayor Hal Johnson said staff is directed to create the policy and bring it back to council.
LIONS PLAQUE
Mayor Johnson also spoke about a plaque for the 4277 Squadron monument to be erected in Cobden Veterans Park. While it’s not council’s right to give other people’s money away, he suggested each council member, if they wanted to, could donate money towards a plaque for the monument.
There are different levels of sponsorship plaques, he said.
“If we could get this council to donate $50 each .. We have one of the best monuments in the whole of the Ottawa Valley and it’s in our park,” Mayor Johnson proudly stated.
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay, following up on a question from Councillor Chris Olmstead, said the money could come out of council’s discretionary fund. It would be similar to the golf touranments council sponsors.
Councillor Daryl McLaughlin questioned where the money would be used. He didn’t want it to be used to subsidize the monument.
CAO Tremblay noted the 4277 Squadron has already raised $200,000 and will also be taking care of the installation of the monument as well as ongoing maintenance. The money from the plaques will go towards the purchasing of the plaques, he said.
Reeve Terry Millar noted that is a “pile of money” with CAO Tremblay adding, “It’s not a rubber ducky.”
Councillor Charlene Jackson suggested, and it was agreed, that a letter should come to council from Del Lippert outlining exactly what 4277 Squadron wants regarding plaque money.
