‘A place of reflection’: Veterans memorial planned for northwest Las Vegas — PHOTOS
Eighteen bronze statues representing military members from different conflicts throughout American history will be the centerpieces of a planned $10 million veterans memorial in northwest Las Vegas.
The site of the future Nevada State Veterans Memorial started Tuesday as a vacant plot of land with $0 earmarked for its construction.
That quickly changed at a Veterans Day event, which served as a kickoff for a public-private fundraiser.
Las Vegas Mayor Shelley Berkley said she would commit the first $25,000 from a discretionary fund she has control over in her elected position.
“We understand the importance of honoring our veterans every day,” the mayor said.
The memorial, Berkley said, will be “a place of reflection, a place of dignity, a place of respect for our veterans, and a place where people can go and contemplate how important our veterans are to our community, and to each of us individually.”
She spoke from the Thunderbird Family Sports Complex on Durango Drive, near Tropical Parkway, where the memorial will live. Veteran groups observed a flag presentation by an honor guard and a live rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner.
The project is a partnership between the city and Nevada. Officials tapped the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE to raise the funds. The nonprofit, established in 2017 by former Mayor Carolyn Goodman, is used to raise funds from the private sector for city projects and programs.
The memorial will include an open-air promenade, an amphitheater and educational materials that will honor more than 200,000 veterans in the state, the nonprofit said.
Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske noted that the statues already existed at a memorial at the former Grant Sawyer Building. They’ll continue to be stored by the state until they’re installed at their new home, which is in her ward.
The city and the state committed to make up the monetary difference if the fundraiser dollars don’t suffice, Allen-Palenske said. Shovels are expected to first hit the ground in January.
“Together, we will build a place that tells the story of sacrifice, service and patriotism,” she said. “A place that will stand for generations and remind every veteran who visits (that) you matter, your service mattered and we will never forget.”
Three-time Purple Heart recipient John Von Zedtwitz is a veteran of the Army, which sent him to the Vietnam War in the middle of his three-year service.
He said that as a young tank commander, he overcame multiple life-threatening situations that included severe injuries and trying to dodge about “1,000 rounds a minute” during battles.
Von Zedtwitz, 78, said sharing his experiences is like therapy.
He participated in Tuesday’s Veterans Day parade and recently spoke to schoolchildren about his military service and decades-long career as a pilot, which took him throughout the globe.
“It means a lot,” he said about the memorial.
Andre’ Haynes has been advocating for veterans since his teenage years, he said, after spending time with an uncle who struggled after serving two tours during the Vietnam War.
The Armed Forces Chamber nonprofit, which Haynes founded, was born out of a promise he made to his uncle to help others like him.
“It will be great,” Haynes said about tºhe memorial. “Not just for the veterans and all armed service members, but for their family, too.”
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
