Did you hear what’s coming to DeCew House Heritage Park in Thorold? The Government of Canada has awarded the Friends of Laura Secord a Canada 150 Fund grant of $132,500 towards the construction of a memorial designed by world-renowned architect Douglas Cardinal in DeCew House Heritage Park, Thorold. The memorial celebrates reconciliation with First Nations peoples and is intended to generate a deeper understanding of the important role First Nations peoples played in the founding of Canada.
DeCew House Heritage Park Thorold
“On behalf of Thorold City Council, I am thrilled to hear the news of the funding received by the Friends of Laura Secord from the Canada 150 Fund to construct a memorial at DeCew House Heritage Park in Thorold,” said Ted Luciani, Mayor of the City of Thorold.
Douglas Cardinal, Siksika (Blackfoot), is celebrated for his signature architectural style resulting in spectacular buildings recognizable by their curvaceous lines, organic forms, and nature-inspired aesthetics. Monumental in their own presence and power, for example, are the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, First Nations University in Regina, Saskatchewan, and the masterwork St. Mary’s Church in Red Deer, Alberta, among many others.
“This monument will serve as a physical reminder of the reconciliation process that has begun between indigenous and non-indigenous Canadians. We thank and commend Caroline McCormick and the Friends of Laura Secord for their determination and commitment to see this project to fruition; it will leave an indelible legacy long into the future. We are very proud that Thorold will be the site of the memorial which also symbolizes the courage shown by the indigenous people who were integral in the Battle of Beaverdams,” said Luciani.
DeCew House was the final destination of Canadian heroine Laura Secord in her fateful journey to warn British and allied leadership of an impending American attack in the War of 1812. Late in her journey, Secord encountered First Nations warriors in nearby DeCew’s Field. They escorted her the final kilometre to the British headquarters at Decew House. The monument is located 5.3 km from the site of the Battle of Beaver Dams, which was fought and won almost entirely by Kanahwake Mohawk and other Native allies.
“We are honoured and absolutely thrilled by Douglas Cardinal’s gracious partnership and the brilliant design he produced for this monument,” said Caroline McCormick, president of Friends of Laura Secord. “That someone of his stature and reputation for architectural excellence would contribute his time and talent to our humble project is beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, congratulated the Friends of Laura Secord for its efforts to advance public understanding of underrepresented peoples in Canadian history. “This exquisite monument will serve as a symbol for our community educating Canadians on the role that Indigenous groups courageously exhibited during the Battle of Beaverdams, while also raising awareness of the vital contributions that First Nation peoples have made in building our great country,” he said.