HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-08-15 NP building vets memorial (Palm Beach Post)NORTHERN
PALM
BEACH
COUNTY AND THE TREASURE COAST THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013
Neighborhood
A weekly section of The Palm Beach Post
North Palm
building vets
memorial
NORTH PALM BEACH — Work
has begun on the city's Veterans
Memorial Park, which Is being
built on a 1-acre lot next to the
village library. Officials expect
the project to be completed in
time for a planned Veterans Day
opening in November. BRUCE R.
BENNETT/THE PALM BEACH POST •
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N THE PALM BEACH POST REAL NEWS STARTS HERE 1 THURSDAY. AUGUST 15.2013 5
IN FOCUS
Construction begins on vete' ails memorial
Park in Village of
North Palm Beach
to honor military.
By Faran Fagan
Special to The Palm Beach
Post
A brick walkway, 11
benches, commemo-
rative plaques, a trel-
lis plush with vegetation
and six flagpoles bran-
dishing emblems of all
branches of the military
are among the features
of the veterans memori-
al being constructed in
the Village of North Palm
Beach.
The city has many ties
to the armed forces and
wanted a visible center-
piece to symbolize its
longtime support.
"It's a place to go and
sit and reflect, if you
want, on the history of
our veterans," said Mayor
Bill Manual, who served
in the Navy.
"It will be very deco-
rative and very colorful.
We're very excited about
it and looking forward to
getting it done and to the
grand opening."
Construction got un-
der way on July 22 and
the city council wants the
memorial completed in
time for a Veterans Day
grand opening in Novem-
ber. Linking the memori-
al to a day that commem-
orates those who serve
in the armed forces will
make the unveiling even
more special.
The site of the project
is an acre of vacant lot
next to the village library.
The wish of the coun-
cil is that the memorial
completes the village hall
"complex. Several council
members besides Manu-
al, inclufdingVice.Mayor
:onstructlon Is underway at what will be Veterans Memorial Park In North Palm Beach. BRUCE R. SENN Err/THE PALM MACH PO' r
Darryl Aubrey (Navy), ei-
ther were in the military
or had family members
who served.
"We have a lot of vet-
erans in the village,"
said Community Devel-
opment Director Chuck
Huff. "The more we got
going with this project,
the more interest there
was."
Residents have long
supported men and wom-
en in uniform. In 2007,
the village initiated a
"support our troops"
campaign in which the
community sent dona-
tions and shipped pack-
ages to troops overseas.
This effort is still going
on.
"The community has
supported these Initia-
tives, and everything
we've heard Is the com-
munity is 100 percent be-
hind us," Manual said.
But the Village of North
Palm Beach wanted to do
more. The idea for a me-
morial sprouted in 2009,
and the council brain-
stormed funding. Luck-
ily, there was $360,000
in a recreational account
that could be allocated to
a city beautification proj-
ect.
"The good part is it's
not taking any taxpayers'
money to build," Huff
said.
The city also has en-
couraged individual con-
tributions. Many of the
plaques and bricks at the
memorial will commem-
orate those who donate
and their ties to the mil-
itary.
In addition to the
peacefulatmosphere, a
stage is planned that the
city council hopes can
be used for functions
and entertainment.
Trees will provide shade
for the ample seating
surrounding the stage
area. Visitors will be able
to gaze at a plethora of
flowers in addition to
the many plaques and
artwork that will grace
the memorial.
For the city, the site
will not only illustrate
a commitment to those
who served, but affirm
the identity of the Village
of North Palm Beach
— as a community that
recognizes selflessness
and sacrifice.
"We have another
veterans memorial in
our city, but it's very
generic," Huff said. "We
need a true veterans park
you can go to and sit and
remember and think
of all the veterans who
served our country."
For more information,
visit the city website at
http://www.village-npb.
org/