Legion cairn finds new home

A Yorkton monument moved to a different home two weeks ago. It will receive a new plaque to commemorate the work of veterans in recent conflicts.

The Yorkton Legion (Branch 77) moved out of its 380 Broadway Street West address in November 2016. They uprooted themselves into their new location on Riverview Road (after a nine-month stint on Fifth Avenue). The Legion took what they could with them during their move, but they had one massive object they couldn’t simply store in a supply closet: The rock cairn.

The cairn (weighing over 3000 pounds and measuring a foot thick) was established as a monument in front of the Legion when it was built in 1961. It’s been a fixture in Yorkton for over 50 years. When the Legion ended its era on Broadway Street, it didn’t want to leave behind such a significant memento.

“With the sale of the [Legion] building, it was decided that we wanted to keep that rock cairn,” said Ken Gordon, executive member with the Yorkton Legion.

The Legion worked with the City of Yorkton to store the cairn in the town compound for over a year. After a discussion, the Legion and the City decided to plant the cairn on Darlington Street in front of the cenotaph.

Construction workers moved the cairn to its new home in the early morning hours of July 13. While the cairn is in place, it’s not completely secure yet.

“There’s more stonework to be done,” Gordon said.

The Legion will be adding a granite plaque to the cairn. It will acknowledge soldiers who served in Afghanistan and other recent conflicts.

“We’re recognizing all kinds of people that have been involved in service [who] haven’t been recognized in the main cenotaph,” Gordon said.

The cairn wasn’t the only Legion object that found a new home. A time capsule was planted beneath the cairn in  1986. It’s to be opened in 2026 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion.The Yorkton branch removed the capsule from its resting spot when they changed locations. It will be planted under the cairn again during a rededication ceremony in October of this year.

It’s been a busy year for the Yorkton Legion. To celebrate their new home, they’ll be hosting an invitation-only official opening of their building on Riverview Road on Aug. 24.