Military family's shock at cenotaph flower removal

CLARENCE Valley Council have responded to the pleas of a family to replant flower beds at Ulmarra cenotaph that were removed by a council crew

SHOCK DISCOVERY: An empty garden bed from where decorative flowering plants maintained by Ulmarra RSL Sub Branch were removed.

EACH week, Sam and Shirley Chambers tend to the gardens of the Ulmarra cenotaph along with other members of the local RSL Sub-Branch.

With their son who has served in the navy and a grandson currently serving in the army, as well as parents and grandparents involved in both world wars, the pair say they have a strong connection to the memory of those who served. Last week, they arrived to a shock. Their flower beds that they had kept had been completely removed by a council crew.

"Two days ago Shirley weeded and watered the flowering plants which over a two year period she has purchased and planted on numerous occasions,” Mr Chambers said. "That numerous healthy flowering plants were ripped out was unnecessary.

"The circular beds were mowed to the base of the trees they surround, hoovering up the sugarcane and teatree mulch that we had placed there.”

Mr Chambers was incensed at the action, and petitioned council to restore the garden to its original condition.

Clarence Valley Council has apologised for the action, and said that they were removed by a new staff member who showed a little too much initiative while on duty.

"He removed the annuals as he felt they had seen better days and thought they could be replanted together with the ones being planted for the upcoming Jacaranda/ Memorial Day events in Grafton,” Open Spaces coordinator David Sutton said.

"The disappointment felt by the members of our community for the removal of the bedding displays is recognised and as the plants were incorrectly removed they have been replanted on this occasion with the Grafton plantings.”

Mr Chambers said he was pleased with the work council had done in replanting the area, and said that after a quick water earlier this week, the plants were thriving along with a couple of new natives that his wife had planted earlier in the week.

Originally published as Military family's shock at cenotaph flower removal