'They deserve to be here': Edmonton woman raises $11K to help restore vandalized monument for fallen firefighters

Vandalized Old Strathcona memorial replaced Months after thieves stole a plaque with the names of fallen Edmonton firefighters, the monument has been replaced.

The daughter of a fallen firefighter has helped raise funds to restore a monument that was vandalized twice last year.

Lisa Hornland’s dad, Les Ashton passed away from cancer in 2002 and as a way to remember his legacy, his name was preserved on a plaque at the Firefighters Memorial Plaza.

When some of the plaques went missing, Hornland told CTV News Edmonton it was “devastating.”

“I don’t understand the point of it. Why would you desecrate something so sacred?”

As a way to give back, Hornland took it upon herself to fundraise to help pay to revitalize the site.

With the help of friends, family, loved ones and the community Hornland said she was able to donate $11,000 to the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society.

“I just want to do what I can and help how I can and be there how I can, just like they’re there for you every day on the calls,” she said. “It’s time to give back to these heroes.”

And the gesture didn’t go unnoticed.

“It meant a lot to us because that's the families giving back now,” Noel Bugnet, the chairman for the Edmonton Firefighters Memorial Society, said.

“It just shows the investment that the community has in what was created for them.”

Hornland beamed when she looked at the restored plaques.

“It’s fantastic. It’s all bronzed now and they made it so you can’t pull them off. It's pretty sturdy in there now,” she laughed.

Bugnet said the recent upgrades have made the plaques “theft proof.”

“This is our way of remembering and thanking not only that member that ultimately gave their life but the family.”

Hornland and Bugnet said the cost to fix the memorial site was about $43,000.

And while she's already helped contribute to its restoration, Hornland intends to continue raising more money to assist with further repairs.

“It’s not going to be taken again,” she said. “These men, on this plaque… they deserve to be here.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Dave Mitchell