Saving Perry's monument

The Perry Memorial, featuring a column 352 feet high, was constructed from 1912 to 1915 and honors the people who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, the decisive naval victory the U.S. won in 1813 over British forces during the War of 1812. The monument also honors the long peace that's prevailed among the U.S., Canada and Great Britain since the War of 1812 ended in 1815. That's the short answer to why is it there and what does it stand for — honorable and thoughtful reasons for reaching to the sky. But the more pressing questions, for years now, has been will it stay standing and will it remain open to the public. Maintenance of the monument itself has been ongoing as any memorial anywhere is protected from the ravages of time and weather. A few years ago, the monument was closed to the public while it underwent renovations. But officials have known, for years, that the concrete seawalls around the memorial needed to be repaired. The north seawall also protects a road that provides the only access to the east point of South Bass Island. An environmental assessment found that the two concrete seawalls to the north and south of the Park have deteriorated or been severely undermined as a result of the harsh marine environment. The existing seawalls allow waves to overtop and water to inundate the site. Existing stormwater drainage outlets allow Lake Erie to flow backward into the stormwater system and inundate the Park. The go-ahead for a $29 million project that will secure the seawalls to the north and south of the monument in the village of Put-in-Bay on South Bass Island means there is a long-term commitment to preserve and secure the monument, keeping it as a destination place for understanding American history and its wars and allegiances. Barbara Rowles, superintendent of the Perry Memorial, has worked with local, state and federal officials for years to secure the funding, and U.S. Sen. Rob Portman was key to securing this funding. The project will get started next year and is scheduled for completion in 2022. This is a worthwhile and important investment in preserving our history, and we're glad to know it will happen.