ARCOLA - If a person drives down Main Street entering Arcola, the cenotaph statue would be seen looking down the street.
The soldier has borne witness to the comings and goings of this street, including the good and the bad. It has also collected dust, grime and mold over those years.
The statue of a single soldier was erected in 1926 to commemorate the soldiers from Arcola and area who were in the First World War.
The main structure is constructed from granite which was sourced in Quebec. An Italian artist craved the soldier out of Carrara marble and shipped it from Italy.
An additional plaque was added to the monument in 1946 to honour soldiers from the Second World War.
The purpose of the carved soldier was to convey optimism, confidence, determination and purpose while he overlooks the road.
In the early 1970s, a terrible accident caused the soldier to topple off the monument and was destroyed beyond repair.
The Arcola branch of the Royal Canadian Legion came together and sourced an identical soldier from the same Italian artist, constructed from the same material, and it has stood guard ever since.
In all the years the cenotaph statue has been standing, it has never been cleaned and this was about to change.
Scott Paton and his wife Renee Pylypuk have an initiative named Arcola Remembers. Through this they look to preserve Arcola’s military history.
Paton has always had an interest in military history and as a child he had an uncle in the service, which spurred his interest even more.
This passion grew deeper as he got older. He has accumulated an extensive library on Canadian military history.
Paton says it is a privilege and honour to contribute to the Arcola history, where he has born and raised, and now is raising his family in the area.
His only regret is not having collected more stories from the Arcola and area veteran while they were still here.
Pylypuk also loves military history with grandparents having served in the Second World War.
The cenotaph needed cleaning badly, so Pylypuk was instrumental in locating the appropriate contractors to take on this task. They contacted B and B Gravestone Services from Regina.
During the Remembrance Day Service last year in Arcola, a collection was taken to kickstart it all.
News spread quickly in the small town and three days after the service, the funds had been received in full.
“I would like to thank the group at the Remembrance Day Service, Three Bison Workshop and Beverly Cook, a former resident of Arcola for their generosity,” said Paton.
The work began with the brass plaques being removed in March and restored by B and B offsite, using equipment and techniques developed in Europe and through years of experience.
Almost 100 years of dirt and grime would now be pressurized steamed away. The soldier had a natural cleaner applied and then steamed.
To finish, a final application of marble restoration was made, which will slowly penetrate the marble and whiten throughout the summer.
“I really cannot believe how much build up there was until I was up close and personal with the monument,” said Paton. “It made the process so rewarding to see the soldier regain his swagger.”
The Arcola cenotaph soldier can continue to stand and watch over Main Street for many more years.
