Hugh O’Neil attending a celebration at Loyalist College in Belleville. (Photo: submitted)
A committee working to ensure the memory of Hugh O’Neil continues to grow within the community are moving ahead with plans to build a memorial but say they are frustrated by Quinte West’s council’s hesitation.
O’Neil passed away last September, and had served as the Liberal member for the former Quinte riding for 20 years, from 1975 to 1995. The man who many call Mr. Quinte was well-known as an educator, entrepreneur, statesman, culture supporter and volunteer.
With O’Neil’s wife Donna and family in attendance, former Quinte West mayor John Williams made a presentation to council Monday night asking that the municipality dedicate a plot of land behind City Hall (adjacent to the Roy Bonisteel memorial) for a Hugh O’Neil Friendship Garden.
The Friendship Garden Committee Member told council that they weren’t looking for any funds. They wanted to get the Trent Port Marina location approved so that they could start fundraising for the memorial expected to cost about $50,000. The memorial will include flowers, shrubbery, benching and a stone sharing the story of O’Neil. Also in the works is stone used in the Ontario legislature. Williams explained that the group was hoping to take the plans to the Hugh O’Neil celebration tomorrow night at the Air Force Museum so they could kick off fundraising.
He was met with reluctance from councillor Alan DeWitt who wanted to see a working committee made up of council and staff to oversee plans and design – something Williams said would slow the process.
Council approved a motion that would see a working committee of staff created. Following some debate council put a motion on the floor to reconsider.
Councillor Duncan Armstrong who sits on the committee as a citizen said he found the push back hard to swallow.
“He (O’Neil) did so much for this community,” said Armstrong. “If Roy Bonisteel was here in this room he would want this.”
Councillor Fred Kuypers turned to councillor Duncan Armstrong (a citizen member on the committee) and said he had no notice of what the plans were until that night.
“This is what I don’t like!” Kuypers yelled. “You jumped the gun behind councillors’ backs and we had no idea what was going on. You called all the councillors individually and said it was a done deal.”
“All I asked was if this was proposed, would you support it,” explained Armstrong. Dewitt backed up Kuypers and said Armstrong told him the same thing over the phone.
Kuypers said he’s not against the memorial but he is against the location in case ‘someone else comes along’ and they have to move it.
During the discourse O’Neil’s wife Donna stood up and addressed the council echoing Williams’ statement that the committee just wants approval for the spot so they can get the fundraising started.
Ultimately council voted to dedicate the plot to the O’Neil garden.
Towards the end of the meeting Kuypers apologized to Armstrong for his comments.
“What we saw in there was expected but we are not very happy about the way it went about it,” said Armstrong. “If they want to take me on like that I have no problem with that at all, speaking up for Hugh O’Neil any day of the week. I feel sorry for Donna having to face that tonight. We are going to make this thing great, the family will be proud of it, the community will be proud of it, shame on them.”
The committee is hoping to have the garden built by September.
Donna O’Neil smiled when asked what the memorial would mean to her to see it finished.
“It would be very moving,” she said.
The tribute to O’Neil is Tuesday at the Royal Canadian Air Force Museum in Trenton from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
O’Neil will be honoured for his countless contributions to the art community both provincially and federally.
Tickets are $35 each and can be purchased through the council by calling 613-962-1232.
