Memorial Park Boulder & Plaque
St. Catharines, Ontario
In honour of the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the United Empire Loyalists in the Niagara District members of the United Empire Loyalists Association of St. Catharines and District decided to erect a permanent memorial. They received permission from the Niagara Parks Commission to move the boulder that marked the halfway point between Niagara-on-the-Lake and Queenston to Memorial Park in downtown St. Catharines. The park is located on St. Paul St. W. at the corner of Yates St. This boulder measures 6 x 6 x 3 feet high. Two bronze plaques were cast and attached by Mr. Fyffe. The memorial was unveiled on 27 December 1934 by two young Loyalist descendants, Margaret Gander, the 8 year-old granddaughter of Branch President Fred. R. Parnell (Margaret Gander Hunter is a loyal member of Colonel John Butler Branch) and Marjorie Sanderson, granddaughter of the Branch Vice President C.A. Hesson.
On 1 December 1992 Members of St. Catharines and District Branch were granted a UELAC Charter officially changing the Branch name to Colonel John Butler (Niagara).
In honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Jubilee, Colonel John Butler (Niagara) Branch led by Branch President Noreen Stapley and Treasurer Brian Ford successfully petitioned St. Catharines City Council to erect a flagpole purchased by the Branch beside the boulder to fly the Loyalist Flag continuously. The dedication ceremony was held on 31 May 2003 with Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Gary Burroughs, St. Catharines Mayor Tim Rigby, Dominion President Myrna Fox and Dominion Past Presidents Bernice Wood Flett and William C. Terry.
The inscription of the top plaque is as follows:
THIS BOULDER WAS ONCE
THE HALFWAY MARK BETWEEN
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
AND QUEENSTON
The inscription of the bottom plaque is as follows:
THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED IN PROUD
MEMORY OF PIONEER ANCESTORS AND
TO COMMEMORATE THE ONE HUNDRED
AND FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR
ARRIVAL IN THE NIAGARA DISTRICT AS
UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS
1784 – 1934
ERECTED BY THE UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS’
ASSOCIATION OF ST. CATHARINES AND DISTRICT
Submitted by Bev and Rod Craig