One piece of a hoped-for Veterans Memorial Park in Henderson is an Avenue of Heroes featuring statues of the Medal of Honor recipients from Henderson, Luther Skaggs and Gary Littrell, as well as the Husband Kimmel statue currently located at the fountains on Water Street.
This was one feature of a proposed Veterans Memorial Park that organizers presented to the Henderson City Commission Tuesday. Those a part of Henderson’s Veterans Memorial Foundation hope the park can be built on the land where Henderson Municipal Power & Light’s Station One once sat across from the future Rhythm River Distillery on Water Street.
Its plans call for it to be divided in pods associated with past military conflicts, such as World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War and conflicts in the Middle East. The pods are planned to be situated at the edge of the park closest to the Ohio River.
The plan also calls for enough open space for the thousands of crosses erected each May in Central Park to honor those who have served—about 6,300 crosses at last count. Local architect Tim Skinner, who has been working on the park’s design, said there is currently enough space for the crosses. The estimate is that the crosses would fit in a little more than half the total area of the park, leaving plenty of room for more that may come later.
Skinner also said the group has been working with Andy Rideout, the owner of Day’s Garden Center, to determine the best flowers and trees to plant in the space. He said Rideout has determined the best native trees that would also grow quickly to produce cover in about 10 years.
“We want to make sure the general public in Henderson will come down and use this,” Skinner said.
Tom Davis, who is the board chair of the foundation, said the field where the park is planned has some contamination in the soil because of its past life as the HMP&L location of Station One.
The group has been in contact with a consultant who works closely with the Environmental Protection Agency, said Skinner, adding that the consultant said the site is able to be used.
There’s one foot of dirt that caps the land and that cap must be maintained, Skinner said. He said the consultant didn’t have any major concerns about the dirt being maintained with the veterans park project.
Finally, Davis said the proposal will include an area that will have education purpose, which could be a kiosk in which students and teachers can visit.
The city is currently developing a Parks Master Plan, being led by firm Brandstetter Carroll, which has gathered comments and held meetings with residents. Davis said that the foundation’s plans have been submitted to the city for inclusion in the plan. The Parks Master Plan will be unveiled later this year.
At the end of the presentation, Davis looked back at members of the American Legion Honor Guard also present at the meeting, and said: “This group is so committed to getting this done.”
