By Adam Prudhomme
Staff Reporter
A section of green space in front of 18 Water St. in Napanee will be turned into a park to honour Sgt. Jason Boyes, who died while serving in Afghanistan in 2008.
That was the motion Greater Napanee council passed during its regular meeting last Tuesday, which was a compromise of sorts to Napanee Royal Legion Branch 137’s request to rename Mill Street after the local fallen soldier.
“We definitely need to do something,” said Councillor Shaune Lucas. “I think it has more merit to have a park and commission a statue or some sort of plaque that is also visible rather than just a street sign.”
Lucas put forward that something could be done in the park located at the corner of Bridge and Centre Streets before Deputy Mayor Marg Isbester’s motion of using the space in front of the town-owned property on Water Street.
Isbester noted that while most people would likely support the idea of renaming Mill Street, it can cause havoc with emergency services trying to give direction when a portion of a street is renamed. Given Water Street’s proximity to the Legion and Mill Street, Isbester suggested it would be more ideal to have a park in his honour at that location instead.
“I believe that somewhere where somebody can sit and think about what this young man sacrificed for us would be far better than just a sign that they drive past,” said Isbester.
Council passed the motion, though they are yet to determine a date as to when it would be officially dedicated or what sort of signage would be installed.