Tag Archive: City of Edmonds

An Edmonds Veterans Plaza Update

Author: October 12, 2017

The Edmonds Veterans Plaza Committee has provided the following report to update us as we approach completion of the project.

A drinking Fountain is being installed and was to have been completed the week of October 1.

The City Council unanimously approved an additional $41K to complete the project. (These funds are directed primarily to pay for engineering changes instituted by the city.) The goal is to complete the work and have the EVP fully operational (including the water feature, lights etc.) by Veterans Day, 11 Nov.

An inaugural Veterans Day ceremony is in the planning stages. If you have any ideas or suggestions for the function …please share those with Jim Traner, Ron Clyborne or your Commander. We have a $3000 reserve fund to pay for upcoming functions and/or other EVP needs that may arise for 2017/2018.

All pavers are fully subscribed and have been installed. An additional 75 pavers in increments of 25 will be made available sometime in 2018 upon City approval. All new paver subscribers need to provide their names to Jim Traner and the ongoing subscription donations will remain at $500 per paver. We also have three stone benches available for engraving at $5000 each with which to remember and honor a Veteran(s) . If you know of anyone who may be interested, please let Traner or Clyborne know.

With a recent $8,000 grant from the Tulalip Tribe, available EVP funds stand at $19K. We needed $20k for the kiosk and the additional $1K required is covered with a verbal pledge. we will, therefore, begin the kiosk acquisition and planning, with the goal of having it installed and fully operational by the end of the 1st quarter of 2018.

We will maintain a “leadership team” to continue to manage the Plaza to its completion and to handle ongoing improvements and future functions. Post 8870 will continue to accept donations for the EVP for the foreseeable future, in order to pay for improvements and for maintenance requirements.

At right is photo of a K9 Soldier sculpture which has been donated and is to be installed in the EVP in October on a date and at a time to be announced. This statue was funded and designed by the “Off Leash dog Group”, who raised the funds to pay for the it outside the primary Plaza funding effort controlled by VFW Post 8870, to recognize the role played in our wars by the K9 teams. The dog sculpture is life size and will be installed on the existing “paver slab” on the east side of the south paver path, perpendicular to the two seating cubes.

The K-9 Memorial is to be dedicated in a brief ceremony on Saturday, October 21 at 1:00 PM at the Plaza. 

The Edmonds Veterans Plaza has already made an incredibly positive impact on our Veterans and their families and friends as well as being a very meaningful addition to our entire community.

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How to be a part of our Edmonds Veterans Plaza Plaza Project Approaching Fundraising Goal

Author: April 3, 2016

Edmonds Veterans Plaza funding tops $ 400,000!

For the past 241 years men and women have served our nation in uniform; in peace and in conflict, assuring that our freedom, declared in 1776, would continue.

Edmonds Veterans Plaza drawing

Our City of Edmonds has not had a place to so honor & remember those who have served. Thanks to VFW Post 8870, American Legion Post 66, The City of Edmonds and a group of dedicated individuals, Edmonds will finally have such a place of honor, to be prominently located at 5th and Bell, right in front of the City Council Chambers Building.

The total budget for the new plaza is $420,000. To date the organizing
committee has raised $ 400,000 and there is $20,000 yet to raise. The Hazel Miller Foundation, prominant among our major supporters, was an early donor committing $180,000 toward this project during the fall of 2015. We are very grateful for this support.

The time has come for the fundraising effort to look to the public. All Edmonds citizens are invited to contribute toward the campaign to raise the last $20,000.

Please consider a contribution of $50, $100, $250 or more so that the project can be completed. You can send your contribution to Edmonds Veterans Plaza, c/o Edmonds VFW Post 8870, PO Box 701, Edmonds, WA 98020 (make checks payable to Edmonds Veterans Plaza); or go online to http://
edmondsveteransplaza.com.

You may wish to honor a particular friend, relative or comrade in arms. We have the following opportunities to do so:

  • Pavers to honor a Veteran – $500 minimum donation
  • Bench Plaques to honor a Veteran – $1,500 minimum donation
  • Seating Cubes to honor a Veteran – $2,500 per side

(Illustrations of these features are available on the web site referred to above.)

Fundraising is to be completed by the end of May with construction beginning in June and the new Plaza to be dedicated on Veteran’s Day, November 11th, 2016.

The financial support of all of our citizens and particularly all veterans is
important so please send your contribution now.

Edmonds Veterans Plaza sketch

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Edmonds Veterans Plaza Update

Author: July 3, 2015

Design Elements

Edmonds Veterans Plaza Update Design Elements

Piictured above is the Navy portion of the curb wall, which will feature identical sections for Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Veterans.

 

Edmonds Veterans Plaza Update Design Elements

Above and tt right are images of those section being called “Seat Wall” and “Seat Cube” respectively, which are designed to give visitors a place for reading, quiet contemplation, or simply to enjoy the space

Fund Raising Undwerway

Under the Guidance of VFW Post 8870 and lead by the efforts of Ron Clyborne, a fundraising committee comprised of civic leaders, both veteran and non veteran, have begun work to raise the approximately $ 450,000 the project is projected to require.

There is already some seed money in the bank, including a donation from the city of Edmonds, among others and there is no doubt that sustantial contributions will be forthcoming as the word spreads in and around Edmonds.

Details of what the final result is expected to look like can be found on the project web page at http://edmondsveteransplaza.com/. (Some examples shown at left)

There is also a Facebook page under the name Edmonds Veterans Plaza. Online donations can be made from either of those two sites.

Edmonds Veterans Plaza Update Design ElementsWhile we are, of course, looking for large sponsors who can support our project in substantial sums, in the end we will also need lots of small donations, so your online donation is welcome in any amount you can provide.

The important thing is for all of us associated with Veterans causes to do our part to promote and support the project in any way we can.

 

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Post 8870, City of Edmonds Partner in Design Competition for Future Veterans Plaza

Author: August 4, 2014

The article below was published on July 25th in the local newspapers. As you know, we dedicated the Plaza on Memorial Day this year. The hard part is coming up, design, fund raising, and completion. Everyone in the Post will have to help with one or more aspects of the project.

Edmonds Post 8870 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of America is partnering with the City of Edmonds to hold an open design competition for the future Edmonds Veterans Plaza in downtown Edmonds.

The VFW Plaza Committee decided to conduct an open design competition to promote local participation and pride in the new memorial, which will be located next to the Public Safety Complex at 250 5th Ave. N. in downtown Edmonds.

“Edmonds is one of the few cities of its size without a tribute or memorial to veterans,” said Ron Clyborne, VFW member and Veterans Plaza committee member. “The plaza is meant to reflect the bravery, sacrifice and strength of the service members who will be recognized and remembered in this special spot in Edmonds.”
The City of Edmonds dedicated the future Edmonds Veterans Plaza on Memorial Day, May 26, 2014. Edmonds City Council member Strom Peterson, a member of the volunteer committee, spoke at the dedication and worked with the committee to establish the open design process.

“The citizens of Edmonds are grateful for all who have served our country,’ Peterson said. “A great way for our local community to feel a part of this special tribute is to create an open and collaborative process with the public in the design of the Edmonds Veterans Plaza.”

The design competition will be open to individuals and groups, students and professionals. You can download the guidelines here or can request a copy by sending an email to [email protected]. Preliminary designs will be reviewed and selected by the VFW committee and then go through a formal design and approval process with the City of Edmonds.

Veterans Plaza committee members include: Ron Clyborne (VFW), Jim Traner (VFW, Past Post and District Commander), James Blossey (VFW Commander), Jim Collins (VFW & Legion), Jack Hall (Edmonds Museum), Strom Peterson (Edmonds City Council), and Maria Montalvo (Corvias Foundation).

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