New leash on life for Dogs Nest memorial

As far as David Oliver can tell, there is only one community named Dogs Nest in North America - and it can be found in Norfolk County.

It is, and was, clearly a unique place with a one-of-a-kind name," said the chair of the Dogs Nest 1851 committee while telling councillors about the historical hamlet on Wednesday.

Oliver asked councillors to sign off on a plan to install a Dogs Nest memorial stone east of Port Dover on county-owned land where Highway 6, Marburg Road and Concession Road 2 Woodhouse meet.

The memorial - paid for entirely by donations and sales of Dogs Nest-branded merchandise - will immortalize the crossroads community with the unusual name, Oliver said.

We believe that Dogs Nest is an important part of Norfolk County's past, and we hope and believe that this monument will capture the history and heritage of this historical community," he told councillors, adding that the committee has received overwhelming and very positive" support from locals who want to keep Dogs Nest on the map and in the minds of current residents.

Before councillors voted unanimously to approve the project and send a letter of endorsement requested by the provincial transport ministry for its approval, Mayor Amy Martin congratulated the citizens committee on raising enough money to install the monument, which Oliver said will cost well over $2,000."

We're looking forward to finally getting this wrapped up for you," Martin told Oliver.

If all goes well, Oliver said, the plan is to unveil the monument at a public ceremony in Dogs Nest on July 16.

J.P. Antonacci's reporting on Haldimand and Norfolk is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. jpantonacci@thespec.com