City of Onkaparinga is asking for community feedback on a concept plan for a new war memorial in Aldinga.
The proposed memorial at Aldinga Sports Park would include the current Aldinga Soldiers War Monument (located between Main South Road and Stonehouse Lane), which needs to be relocated due to the impending duplication of Main South Road from Seaford to Sellicks Beach.
The monument commemorates those killed in action in the First and Second World Wars.
Aldinga Sports Park was identified as a site for a relocated war memorial as part of Aldinga Sports Park Master Plan process, with members of the local community calling for the monument be relocated to improve accessibility and safety.
Council says the relocation of the war monument also presents an opportunity to create a new and more appropriate memorial space to commemorate local servicepeople in the region.
The development of the concept plan by council staff was guided by a community working group, which includes local veterans, relatives of Glen Crisp—a fallen local World War 1 (WW1) soldier who’s named on the monument—plus sporting and other community representatives.
The site will commemorate local returned servicepeople from all conflicts, including First Nations people that have served.
The relocation of an existing flagpole from the Aldinga Institute Building will be included as part of the design, which has links to Glen Crisp.
There will also be an opportunity to acknowledge renowned local war artist Sir Ivor Hele, in a form supported by the RSL State Branch.
Although there is not an RSL located at Aldinga, the proposed memorial has been designed to accommodate events such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services, and to be a place for contemplation.
The project requires an estimated $450,000 for construction to commence in 2022, with funding required from numerous sources.
Removal of the existing soldiers’ monument will occur before construction commences on the duplication of the Aldinga section of Main South Road in the second half of 2022.
Council is seeking external funding from several sources, including the Federal Government Department of Veteran’s Affairs “Saluting Their Service” fund.
View the concept plan at council’s Your Say page and provide your feedback until Monday 6 June.