Capturing the Appreciation of a Grateful Community

VETERANS MEMORIAL PLANNED FOR WESTERVILLE SPORTS COMPLEX

Westerville is known for its many parks, trails and green and open spaces. Yet among its inventory of more than 40 parks, one has been missing. A place to speak to Westerville’s sense of patriotism; a place to honor the sons and daughters who have sacrificed in service to protect the freedoms we value.

Together with local service and veterans organizations, the City and Westerville Parks Foundation have created a vision for Westerville’s Veteran Memorial, a new signature space where veterans are remembered and honored. The Memorial project has risen to meet the community’s tradition of honoring the lives and legacies of those who have served. This project builds upon a site untouched for decades to fulfill Westerville’s patriotic spirit with a signature space for reflection.

Westerville Parks & Recreation Director Randy Auler says this is Westerville’s moment to build the Veterans Memorial the community deserves.

“The existing Westerville Sports Complex will undergo a transformation in its center, starting with this project,” says Auler. “Picture Central Park in New York City. It’s a central spot for recreation, tourism and sense of place where you can feel the vibe of the entire community.”

The project is part of Westerville’s Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces (PROS) plan, developed more than 20 years ago as a strategic guide to develop, operate and maintain the community parks system. Renewed early in 2014, PROS set forward an ambitious schedule of new facilities, green spaces and parks to add to our already nationally recognized system. Included in the master plan is an ideaturned-concept to centralize and strengthen the honor we pay our veterans.

A renewed Veterans’ Memorial has been years in the making, said Auler. The project expands on a memorial that sits in a largely indistinguishable and inaccessible spot at the former Armory* on South State Street.

“There are some passionate volunteers with the local veterans’ organizations and the Westerville Sunrise Rotary who partnered with us to create what a Westerville Veterans’ Memorial would look like,” said Auler. “The elements of the park are designed to elicit the emotions we feel during the Field of Heroes, Veterans Day and other times we stop to remember the service of an entire family in the military.”

The City of Westerville appropriated $1 million and the Westerville Parks Foundation has committed to raise $1 million to complete the project. Like all significant Westerville parks projects, the community also has an opportunity to put their individual or family stamp on the project.

“There are accessible family or individual options to contribute to the park,” said Auler. “We always have an option for family names to become part of the project.”

To explore sponsorship opportunities, visit www. westerville.org/parks.

The project schedule uses Veterans Day each November (2021 and 2022) as a groundbreaking and dedication milestone. Construction is expected to begin this winter.

Possible rendering of entry to Veteran’s Memorial at the Westerville Sports Complex.

----*The City purchased the Armory property in 2007 to one day merge police and court functions under one roof. Based on the limited size of the lot, the project was not advanced. In 2018, Westerville voters approved a new Police/Court facility now under construction in an existing structure on Huber Village Blvd. Read more information on page 8. The Armory will be sold to consolidate Cityowned property.