The cenotaph at Memorial Square in downtown Barrie will require "some minor repairs" after a car collided with the monument, Wednesday afternoon.
Police received a call just before 4:30 p.m., March 8, about a vehicle that had struck the century-old memorial that sits at Dunlop and Owen streets.
Barrie police communications co-ordinator Peter Leon told BarrieToday it appears the driver suffered a medical emergency and was taken to local hospital. The driver's condition is unknown at this time.
City of Barrie senior communications advisor Scott LaMantia told BarrieToday that “some minor repairs to the cenotaph will be required,” but he wasn’t sure what exactly would be needed or how much it would cost.
BarrieToday attended the site on Thursday and no visible or obvious signs of damage could be seen.
Barrie's cenotaph was installed June 29, 1922, and memorializes soldiers from Barrie, Innisfil and the former Vespra Township who were killed in action during the First World War (1914-18).
Two slabs adjacent to the central monument have been added over time, along with the names of soldiers who died during the Second World War, the Korean War and in Afghanistan.
The downtown cenotaph stands 23 feet high, with a nine-foot statue of a solider on the top. The crests of the various arms of the service are placed around the monument in the form of shields.
During extensive Meridian Place and Memorial Square renovations in 2017, the cenotaph was relocated from the west side of the square to the centre.
This is where Remembrance Day ceremonies are held every Nov. 11 as hundreds of people gather to honour those who gave their life and time to serve.
