Council provides clarity on future public monuments and memorials

16 October 2018

Ipswich City Council will adopt new policy for erecting public monuments and memorials across the city.

Works, Parks and Recreation acting chief operating officer Bryce Hines said council had previously dealt with requests for public monuments and memorials on a case-by-case basis.

But, as the city continued to grow, it was timely to consider a more consistent policy to manage any future applications for public monuments and memorials.

“Council continues to receive requests for new or to expand the public monuments and memorials throughout the city,” he said.

“Currently, council manages and maintains a large number of individual monuments and memorials across 55 locations in the city.  These can be war memorials through to plaques dedicating openings of new facilities.”

In future, council will assess applications from individuals or groups wishing to formally recognise local people, groups, places and events of significance to the Ipswich region. They must be of local, citywide, state or national significance.

New monuments and memorials should not commemorate a person or persons, or a place or event that is already memorialised in the city. Some events may be memorialised in more than one location in the city (war memorials and war monuments) with appropriate justification. The subject of a monument or memorial must have demonstrated strong community support.

In terms of location options, the Ipswich City Centre Memorial Gardens and Pump Yard Park will be the preferred location for any proposed new public monuments and memorials reflecting Ipswich’s war heritage.

Any proposed new public monuments and memorials to Ipswich’s mining heritage are to be placed where possible, at sites where mining memorials already exist.

Any other proposed locations must not detract from any existing features within the area and must have a strong connection to the City of Ipswich and a location appropriate to their purpose – such as a place to reflect or for communities to gather.

Mr Hines said the management of new requests for monuments and memorials was a challenge for all local authorities, given there was declining space and meeting the sensitivities of the population.

The new policy would see all costs associated (including design, manufacture, certification, installation, and full ‘life cycle’ and maintenance costs) with the monument or memorial being the responsibility of the applicant.

Monuments and memorials manufacture and installation will not occur until the funding is received by council.

Designs of monuments or memorials had to be respectful of the subject and text and images had to be historically correct and verified. They had to be durable, robust, with a lifespan of more than 24 years and significantly safe for a public place.

Interim Administrator Greg Chemello, endorsing the new policy, said there needed to be clarity around the responsibility for maintenance costs, the wording for causing of offence as well as further information regarding density.

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