The Arch is back!
On Tuesday 29 of March around 6.30pm, Sri Mohan went to the Watford Peace Garden to meet his friend Bob Smallworth. Bob was driving from his home in Aylesbury to Watford with his precious cargo, the new Peace arch. This was a moment anticipated by all of us at the Peace Garden. To our utter dismay, over a year ago, the original Peace Arch, a gift from the Watford Bridge of Peace in 2017, had been destroyed twice in a dreadful manner. We were all wondering if we would ever be able to bring the Arch back.
Then Sri Mohan, WIFA committee member, came forward and offered to take on the project and bring back the Arch. Last summer young volunteers from NCS at the Peace Garden had raised fund for the Garden and Cllr Rabi Martins suggested that the money should be used for a new Arch. Sri’s friend Bob kindly offered his unique skills to build a brand-new Arch using stainless steel, a stronger material. He worked over 3 months in his garage using it as his workshop place not able to park his car there for that length of time.
Bob arrived around 7pm driving a flatbed truck with the arch laid on it. Both him and Sri came after work and had to work quickly before it would get too dark. A month earlier, Sri had already dug two big holes ready for the Arch to come. Now Sri was filling the holes with cement making a strong base for the Arch and there it was standing up tall and strong in the fading light of the evening.
If you go to the Peace Garden today, you will see the new Peace Arch standing at the entrance of the labyrinth where the original Arch used to be. Since that evening in March, Sri added some bricks at the base creating an area for plants to grow. The original honeysuckle and a donated climbing rose will soon be planted and with time will cover the Arch. On top of the Arch, on both side there are two signs that read: ‘Peace Arch’ with 2 doves. John, another friend of Sri engraved the 2 signs and donated it free of charge.
A heartfelt thanks to Sri Mohan and his friends Bob and John for giving freely their time and skills to bring back such a magnificent and sturdy Arch. Soon we will celebrate the reopening of the Peace Arch and you are all invited to come to the Peace Garden for that special occasion.
Bringing back the Arch has been an amazing journey of people coming together, each bringing their own contributions and skills. The Peace Arch was given to the Peace Garden as a symbol of friendship and reconciliation between the great variety of people living in Watford. May it continue to stand for many years to come and inspire us all by its message.
30/03/2022
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