Hugh O’Neil.
A memorial honouring the late Hugh O’Neil will flourish at the Trent Port Marina.
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.
Monday night, Quinte West council approved the construction of the Hugh O’Neil Friendship Garden on lands it leases from TCS Realty limited across from the Trent Port Marina.
Councillor Duncan Armstrong who sits on the Friendship Garden Committee as a citizen said he’s happy council and the City is backing the project 100 percent.
“We are ready to go and ready to start fundraising. We will be in consultation with the City every step of the way. John Williams, Donna O’Neil (wife) and David O’Neil (son) we are all excited to get this done. It’s a good thing for the City.”
At a council meeting three weeks ago, with Donna O’Neil and family in attendance, former Quinte West mayor John Williams made a presentation asking that the municipality dedicate the marina plot for an O’Neil memorial (adjacent to the Roy Bonisteel memorial). It’s expected to cost about $50,000 and will include flowers, shrubbery, benching and a stone sharing the story of O’Neil. Williams said having stone used in the Ontario legislature is also in the works.
Donna O’Neil said it would be very moving to her to see it finished.
Mayor Jim Harrison, Deputy mayor Jim Alyea and councillor Alan DeWitt were appointed to the Hugh O’Neil working group.
“We are working on getting all of the approvals in place so that it (O’Neil garden) will sit south of the Bonisteel memorial,” said Harrison. Harrison says they are trying to get a master plan in place so it will all work.
It was also decided that a moratorium be placed on memorials for a period of one year in order for a policy to be developed and approved by council.
It is hoped to have the O’Neil garden finished by this fall.
