Businessman Garry Kohn

By Lara Fominoff

Monument Money

City Council gives thumbs up for Sisters of St. Martha monument

Apr 15, 2019 | 5:49 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – In a 7-1 vote, Lethbridge City Councillors have given the go-ahead for up to $15,000 to be taken from council contingencies, to be used to build and erect a monument/memorial to the Sisters of St. Martha.

Businessman Garry Kohn made the official ask at Monday’s council meeting (April 15). Kohn said he became involved with the Sisters of St. Martha as a trustee on their board in 1979, and has worked with them since.

“Over the years, I’ve seen the good work they do. On their retirement, my wife said ‘the city owes them something for 90 years of service.’ As I said in my address, they built a hospital from scratch in 1930, it became a very large hospital and a centre of excellence. And they ran it as a tight ship with compassion and it was to do good for the city.

“The City has recognized all kinds of other people, but the sisters ran under the radar… they contributed more in 90 years than any other individual or corporation has done in that same period of time. So, I felt that the City, not a private group, owed them the debt of an honour in recognition in placing a monument to their work.”

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However, Councillor Belinda Crowson, the lone vote against the resolution to pass and fund the erection of the monument, said funding it, was a mistake.

“If I were here today as a member of LHS (Lethbridge Historical Society), I’d be part of the advocacy. In fact, as a member of the LHS, I honestly hope you pass this, because I’ll be back with 20 more monuments in the next year and a half. Because there are so many things that could have monuments, and whether you believe it or not, you (council) are setting a precedent here. This is why the policy was created, because in 2005 during Alberta’s Centennial there was (sic) numerous groups that wanted money from the city and a policy was created, so it wouldn’t happen.”

Crowson said she could not support approving Kohn’s request for money for the monument because “rules apply to all, not just the people you want the rule to apply to. And in this case we have rules, we have to stick to them.”

Kohn later responded to Councillor Crowson’s statement by saying no one else that he was award of could come along with the same kinds of credentials, offering 90 years of service.

“This is not like any other organization, so I would disagree with Councillor Crowson on that issue.”

The original resolution called for the presentation to be submitted and filed. However, Mayor Chris Spearman put forward an amendment asking that up to $15,000 be taken from council contingencies to fund the project. It was passed in a 7-1 vot. But the Mayor also had a proposal for Kohn, and the large contingent of supporters with him in council chambers.

“I would make a suggestion to the audience and to Mr. Kohn as well, that there be a financial contribution from those who support this action. City was acting in good faith moving forward, but we have also worked with everyone else who came forward and requested a monument, and they have funded it. So while we’ll put in ….$15,000, I think there could be an even better monument to the sisters if there was additional financial support.”

To that, Kohn said, “the point was, that if the city is going to recognize them, the city is the one that I want to be on the hook for the monument, not crowd funding from a private source. Now, that could be a possibility. I’ll work with the city now, and see if other people do wish to support it. The point isn’t the money, the point is the recognition and where it’s coming from.”

The Sisters of St. Martha’s officially retire in the next few months, and Kohn hopes to have the monument, whatever form it takes, completed and installed somewhere on City Hall property in the next three months.