WWI memorial destroyed in hours with no consultation
A 99-year-old memorial hedge in Milang has been destroyed by thoughtless council workers, to make way for a better view for drivers on a street corner.
SA News
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The South Australian RSL is investigating the “disgusting” destruction of a 99-year-old WWI memorial hedge in Milang.
Around 50 residents gathered at the site this morning to meet with Alexandrina Council Mayor Keith Parkes after they were unable to prevent the destruction at the Milang Soldiers Memorial Garden on Wednesday.
RSL SA President Cheryl Cates said the destruction — carried out without consultation — was disgusting and the organisation would investigate if any laws protecting memorials had been breached.
“This is disgraceful, especially as the RSL would have been happy to have discussions if there was a road safety issue,’’ she said.
“Quite rightly the local people are outraged, and we will offer our help to Milang because we are very protective of war memorials.”
In total around 50 metres of hedge ringing the Milang Soldiers Memorial Garden on the corner of Ameroo Ave and Coxe Street was uprooted, with locals not able to intervene quickly enough to stop the destruction.
In a video taken by a resident showing workers in the final stages of the destruction, one explains that cars could not see oncoming traffic through the hedge, and therefore it had to be destroyed.
Milang RSL spokesman Brian Wakefield said it was unlikely any laws had been broken because the land was owned by the council.
He said residents had vented their frustration at Mayor Parkes and two councillors who had attended this morning’s meeting.
“They have made a commitment to get onto it right away and we have been given a landscape gardener to get onto it right away,’’ Mr Wakefield said.
“We have every faith that the council now want to do the right thing, and none of the councillors knew anything about it.’’
Mr Wakefield, a Vietnam War veteran said the gardens were “sacred ground” for local returned service people.
“If only we could have talked about the problem and the tiny bit of hedge that was blocking the view, not have them destroy about 50m of the entire structure,’’ he said.
“And I’ve seen what they were planning to replace it with — almost nothing — in no way would it have replaced the 99 years of memories that place holds for the local people.’’
Mayor Parkes told Nine News councillors had not been told about the destruction, and the hedge would be replaced with appropriate garden work.
“It is a mistake and it shouldn’t have happened but out of this bad thing we have to make a good thing,’’ he said.