Veterans Park Improvements

[walker]

"The unanimous vote came despite protests from advocates for veterans, who argued the park should only honor those who died in combat. Walter McVeigh, a World War II veteran, argued the red marble monument created by the Military Order of the Purple Heart could have been placed at the Michigan Veteran's Home or Millennium Park instead."

Here we go. (Combat death stone coming right up!)

[joeDowntown]

It looks like this fight isn't over:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

[Veloise]

It looks like this fight isn't over:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

[thebeerqueer]

...and the saga continues... http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2007/08/city...nts_on_hol.html

[Veloise]

...and the saga continues... http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2007/08/city...nts_on_hol.html

[Rizzo]

I thought it was to honor all vets who received purple hearts, now its a monument to honor the continue Global War on Terror? Why can't there be a park with just one statement to honor all vets dead or alive? Why can't there be a park that stands for one thing, with one sculptural feature and let it be? Now to be politically correct everyone has to have one.

[thebeerqueer]

...and the saga continues...again... http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2007/08/mora...nts_lifted.html

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. At what point will all of the new monuments take away from the original monument and the reason for creating the park??

[Veloise]

...and the saga continues...again... http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2007/08/mora...nts_lifted.html

Seriously, this is getting ridiculous. At what point will all of the new monuments take away from the original monument and the reason for creating the park??

[suydam]

Interestingly, last night there were quite a few T-shirted and capped vets at the park. They deployed themselves "to defend the monuments" from the folks at the peace rally. (I am not making this up, that's what they said.)

[Veloise]

Weird.

You'd think deceased war heroes, living war heroes and peace marchers would have a common goal: End the war (though their ideas how may encompass a wide spectrum of options). Bring home safe troops.

[joeDowntown]

What I don't understand is, why doesn't the city come up with some kind of master plan before letting these monuments in. The "Global War on Terror" monument? It makes it sound like frickin' political propoganda. Why not a monument to the Iraq War, War in Afghanistan?

I think the park needs consistency. I could care less if the Purple Heart Memorial or the "Global War on Terror" monument goes in the park, but there should be some planning and CONSISTENCY OF DESIGN involved instead of this hodge-podge placement of monuments.

Joe

[Veloise]

What I don't understand is, why doesn't the city come up with some kind of master plan before letting these monuments in. The "Global War on Terror" monument? It makes it sound like frickin' political propoganda. Why not a monument to the Iraq War, War in Afghanistan?

I think the park needs consistency. I could care less if the Purple Heart Memorial or the "Global War on Terror" monument goes in the park, but there should be some planning and CONSISTENCY OF DESIGN involved instead of this hodge-podge placement of monuments.

...

[Veloise]

Good grief. A one-day moratorium.

We should hold one of our infamous competitions to design a monument for this venue, as it could use some more concrete and tombstones.

[Rhino6885]

Good grief. A one-day moratorium.

We should hold one of our infamous competitions to design a monument for this venue, as it could use some more concrete and tombstones.

[Veloise]

The Purple Heart tombstone is scheduled to be dedicated (ceremony) on Saturday 9/15 at 10 am. I am guessing this means it will be installed tomorrow or today.

ETA: It's in place as of this evening, wrapped in white plastic.

[d8alterego]

As part of qualifying for brownfield tax credits for The Fitzgerald, Second Story has agreed to invest about $750,000 into Veterans Park across the street. Anyone know what improvements are in store? That could really be a great urban park with a little TLC.

[Veloise]

They should do something about this:

Unless it was designed by the same Times New Roman-impaired person who did the PH tombstone.

[saw the supporters at the 9/11 parade ceremony, in their matching purple satin jackets]

[MiGuyz]

Purple Heart monument installed in GR

http://woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7079157

[Veloise]

Purple Heart monument installed in GR

http://woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=7079157

[Veloise]

... "All the other monuments here are kind of dark and gray," Matkovich said. ...

Someone else needs an eye exam. All of the other monuments are white; the new PH tombstone is the darkest thing in the park.

[joeDowntown]

Wonk