University Place Veterans Memorial Group To Make Big Fundraising Push

Organizers of the University Place Veterans Memorial are still hope to start construction this year.

Kathy Owens, landscape architect with Fircrest-based Nature by Design., says plans for the $250,000 memorial were submitted and coordinated with the city.

"Now, the group needs to fundraise to build the monument," she told Patch.

The memorial is the brainchild of University Place City Councilwoman Jean Brooks, who died in 2009.

For more information or to donate to the effort, visit http://www.upveteransmemorial.org/

Allow us to introduce ourselves!  The University Place Veterans Memorial committee was formed in October of 2009 by the late City of University Place Councilwoman Jean Brooks and her husband Harvey. It was Jean’s dream to create this lasting memorial in honor of all military veterans and families from University Place. The committee is composed of a diverse group of community leaders, civic leaders, veteran’s, and community volunteers with the committed goals to:

•     Create a permanent place within University Place to honor the service and sacrifice of all veterans from University Place

•     Provide a prominent location within University Place to hold veteran related events and memorials such as on Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Veteran’s Day

•     Create an opportunity for the residents of University Place to participate in the development of a memorial in honor of its military veterans

The University Place Veterans Memorial is a 501© 3 non-profit corporation (EIN #08-0540857) in the State of Washington.

The memorial is composed of two separate but adjoining plazas. The overall design is based on a circle with concentric ring elements and radiating segments. The Circle of Honor Plaza is composed of a 40 diameter concrete plaza ringed by eight flag poles. The U.S. flag pole is situated at due North, with the five military service flag poles, together with the Merchant Marines flag pole and the MIA/POW flag pole located at equal segments around the perimeter. Each flag pole with be ground mount lit. In front of each of the seven flag poles will be a black granite pylon with the top surface polished and with the respective military insignia sandblasted into the surface. Fixed bench type seating will partially ring the plaza. A raised seasonal flower planting bed will ring the southerly half of the plaza. A commissioned art piece with be located at the center of the plaza circle. 

The second plaza, designated the Donors Plaza, will be situated due north of the Circle of Honor Plaza. It will be composed of permanent donor quarry paver tile set in concrete slab segments radiating from the center of the Circle of Honor Plaza, and temporary brick pavers set between concrete radian and concentric ring retaining curbs. The existing brick paver tile will be repositioned to created a curved pathway between the two plazas. Painted steel park benches will be positioned at the perimeter of the plaza between trees.

Subject to the success of the fund raising campaign, the memorial is proposed to be constructed in a 3-phased approach:

•  Phase 1:The Circle of Honor Plaza is scheduled to start construction in early 2011

•  Phase 2:The Donor Plaza is scheduled to start construction in late spring of 2011

•  Phase 3:The Circle of Honor Art Piece is scheduled to be installed by the end of 2011

The University Place Veterans Memorial is located just south of the intersection of Cirque Drive and Bridgeport Way West, in the pocket park located on the west side of Bridgeport Way commonly known as the Drum Road Greenway Park.

The anticipated cost of the memorial is $250,000. This cost anticipated that much of the manual labor needed to reshape the existing park into a formal memorial plaza will be provided by volunteer groups and individuals. 

The committee is in the process of submitting the project to the City of University Place for construction permits. The 1st phase of the project is scheduled to start construction in early 2011, subject to the success of the fund raising campaign. The committee is still looking for that particular general contractor who would be willing to manage the construction process. With a PowerPoint presentation in hand, the committee continues to look for events and organizations to present the project.

Please email us at UPVeteransMemorial@gmail.com if you’d like to volunteer your time and talent! Also, visitwww.upveteransmemorial.org to learn more about the project and how you can participate.