Springwood Developments and two Quarry-based companies have combined to top up the balance of the funding required to complete phase one of the revitalization of the Cenotaph Community Park adjacent to the Cochrane branch of the Royal Canadian Legion.

The $17,500 donation means the fundraising for the first of the two-phase project has been completed in advanced of the scheduled Oct. 26 unveiling.

During an Oct. 12 press conference that included many project proponents, a delighted David Usherwood, Legion 1st vice-president and cenotaph project chair, praised the community of Cochrane for making the major upgrade of the park possible.

"It's all very cumulatively appreciated. The community has basically done this. We put a little bit of sweat equity into it, but the community was saying we want this done, we want this to be a success."

Springwood chair and founder Bill Butler presented the ceremonial cheque to the Legion and says they are proud to contribute to the project that pays tribute to the many brave Canadians who gave their lives for our country. Their Quarry project has been a 14-year undertaking that took 45 acres of contaminated land that left a blemish on the town for years and turned it into a successful retail and commercial hub.

"I'm a great believer in Cochrane," says Butler. "We have a $100 million project here. We challenged our tenants to match our donation to help Dave get to his goal and when that fell a bit short we topped it off. Garmin and Canadian Tire contributed and we just made up the difference."

They've also received significant in-kind donations from both the Studio West Bronze Foundry and OnGrowing Works to help keep costs down. Don and Shirley Begg's Studio West Bronze Foundry created the 7 ft. bronze of a First World War soldier in the memorial stance that will grace the park. Terry Norman, of OnGrowing Works, has overseen the expert refitting of the cenotaph base for the new bronze and the balance of their creative solutions will come to life when the second phase is completed.

The Legion continues to accept donations for the next step that will enhance the aesthetics of the park to make it a place people will not only use to reflect but to also enjoy casually on a daily basis.