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Title: "Turn Out for the
Bend Heroes Memorial Open House-Let Our Views be Heard"
Based on his success managing the
Bend Parade of Flags program, Bend City Council
requested COMOAA member Dick Tobiason to develop a plan for a memorial to
honor Bend's veterans and first responders. The "Bend Heroes Memorial Team"
has developed a design for the memorial and requested it be located at
Brooks Park to compliment the adjacent Veterans Memorial Bridge, LCPL Randy
Lee Newman Memorial Walkway, and Bend Parade of Flags. The proposed back to
back Bend Veterans Peace Memorial and
Bend Public Safety Memorial honors all veterans and first
responders who have served during wars and peacetime. The central
monument will display the names of 72 Bend veterans who made the supreme
sacrifice during wars from WWI to Iraq. No Bend first responder has lost his
or her life in the line of duty since Bend was incorporated in 1905. The
granite central monument would be surrounded by 11 flagpoles displaying
flags - U.S.-POW/MIA, Oregon, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard,
Merchant Marines, National Guard, and Police and Fire Remembrance.
The memorial's relationship with the
bridge, walkway, and flags is shown in a photo taken from the memorial site
at Brooks Park on Jan. 19 - the day of SGT Zachary McBride's memorial
service.
Brooks Park is located along the
Deschutes River at the west end of Veterans Memorial Bridge. It is
owned by Bend Metro Park & Recreation District. The District plans to gather
public comments on the appropriateness of Brooks Park as the memorial site
and comments on the proposed memorial design. The District has posted a
questionnaire seeking public inputs on its web site: http://www.bendparksandrec.org/.docs/record_id/10126/pg/10122
Completed questionnaires are due to
the Park District by Feb. 25.
The final opportunity for public
comments is an "open house" at the Park District's Hollinshead Barn Park on
Feb. 20 from 5:30-7:00 PM. The open house and questionnaires are the
last chance for veterans and the public to make inputs on the use of Brooks
Park and the memorial design. Hollinshead Barn Park is located at 1237 NE
Jones Road (north of intersection of Neff Rd. and 12th St.).
Following the public comment
phase, the Team expects decisions from the Park Board in
March/April. Present planning calls for the memorial to be dedicated on
Veterans Day, 2008. There will be opportunities for veterans groups, local
businesses, and the public to contribute materials, labor, and funds
to build this project.
Please submit a questionnaire by Feb.
25 if you have not already done so and attend the Feb. 20 Open House to
support the proposed Bend Heroes Memorial. Questionnaires will also be
available at the Open House. On behalf of the Team, Dick thanks all
who have already submitted questionnaires to the Park District.
Bend Heroes Memorial Team members
are: Mike Donohue/SmithBarney, Steve Esselstyn/Bend Police Dept., Neal
Huston/Architect, Jeff Lightburn/American Legion Post 4 Commander, Bob
Maxwell, Jerry Newman, Patty Stell/City Recorder, and Dick Tobiason.
Contact Dick at 388-5591,
dtobiason@bendcable.com if you have
questions or comments.
(Click on pictures to enlarge)
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