“They were together in life…we’d like to see them stay together. They might not physically be there, but the memories are.”
Standing over a park bench looking out to Finn Slough and the Fraser River’s south arm, Margaret Galawan fought back the tears while recalling how close her late husband, Ray, was with his former high school buddies and life-long Richmondite friends, Cliff Barclay and Tom Ross.
She lost her other half last May, while the husbands of Bonnie Ross and Lynne Barclay passed away last November and 10 years ago, respectively.
After Cliff’s death a decade ago, Lynne dedicated a City of Richmond park bench at the slough – near Dyke and No. 4 roads - in his memory, complete with two plaques.
Not long after the Barclays’ close friend, Ray, died suddenly last May, Lynne offered to exchange one of Cliff’s plaques to have Ray “sitting” right next to him.
And when the last of the tight trio, Tom, passed in November, all three widows agreed it would be fitting to have their late husbands re-united on the park bench, overlooking the slough where they spent a large chunk of their time together.
There’s only one thing in the way of their memorial – the city’s maximum two-plaque rule, which came into place in 2003, before being updated in April last year.
“The city are OK with Ray’s plaque going up, it’s the third one that’s the issue,” Margaret told the Richmond News, adding that Ray’s plaque is ready to go, but the city was waiting for the spring to repair the bench.
“We were told that people might find it uncomfortable leaning against (three) plaques, so they don’t want too many on there.
“Maybe there’s a better reason that I haven’t heard of yet. The reason we were given was ridiculous. If people are uncomfortable, go and sit on another bench. Very few people sit here.
“Ray was down here all the time. He would cut the grass every weekend, making sure it was neat and tidy; the city didn’t do too much down here.
“I don’t come down that often since Ray died, but I might come more (if his plaque goes up). It’s still quite close (to his passing), I’m not quite ready yet.”
Bonnie, meanwhile, said the two-plaque rule was “dumb, quite frankly.
“Our husbands worked together forever and, obviously, we were with them, too, in that time. All three went to school together, they went hunting together, fished together, Cliff had one of the shacks on the slough there. The couples all knew each other, played cards together, celebrated milestones together.”
Lynne and Margaret had agreed to split the costs of having the new plaques on the bench, $3,000 for a 10-year dedication, plus $500 per plaque.
“It would mean the world to me,” said Lynne of having the three friends’ plaques together on the bench.
“They were such good friends for so many years and it would just be a crime to separate them now.”
Lynne made an impassioned plea to Richmond city council for help, with Coun. Bill McNulty now vowing to look into the case on the widow’s behalf.
“I think that the whole policy needs to be reviewed,” McNulty told the News.
“I can’t recall where this two-plaque rule came from; there’s no reason I can think of why we can’t have more than two plaques. I think we need to take another look at this.”
McNulty said he’s going to raise the issue at the next parks and city council recreation meeting.
As for a three-plaque bench being uncomfortable to sit on, McNulty added that they’re “not a LazyBoy” chair.
“It’s a place to think, reflect and remember.”
City spokesperson Ted Townsend said an option has been given to Lynne to “celebrate all three individuals on a single plaque” and still keep her one plaque with the quote about Finn Slough, which would allow her to stay within the two-plaque limit.
As for why the rule came about in the first place, Townsend said the policy is required to “ensure consistency and common look across the many memorial benches. Allowing additional plaques could also pose additional maintenance challenges.”
