Seekonk voters approve howitzer ballot measure

April 2, 2018 11:58 pm

By: Rebecca Turco

Email: rturco@abc6.com

SEEKONK, Mass (WLNE) – The Veterans Memorial Park in Seekonk will once again be home to a historic howitzer, which served as a weapon of division for months.

The 1920 cannon was donated to the town by the National Guard in July of last year and placed on the newly-built memorial. People complained and it was eventually relocated to the police station.

Preliminary polling from Monday night showed 1,255 people voted yes to move it to the memorial grounds while 484 voted no.

Proponents say it’s a piece of history that belongs there. "It is part of our history and I think it should be displayed,” said Alexandra Corbin. "I would like to show my three-year-old son when we go to the library and say, ‘look there’s the howitzer,’ and explain to him what it was all about.”

For Vietnam War Veteran Armand Perreault, it was hard to see the howitzer on the site of a memorial. "It’s not that we don’t want it in town – we do want it in town,” said Perreault. “It’s just there’s many other places to be."

The Board of Selectmen will be discussing the ballot measure at their next meeting Wednesday.