Please show your support of the North Branch Beautification's Veteran's Memorial initiative and its placement in North Branch Central Park. This would be proposed as a 100% DONATION TO OUR COMMUNITY on behalf of our organization & its generous donors with a zero tax impact! The site would encompass under 4% of the existing park's space in Central Park, as pictured.  Our organization has raised $80,000 in donations to date, but we have more to go in order to get this completed.  Once we know this site is "officially approved" by the City Council debating the addition, we can re-commence our fundraising efforts and unveil final design plans which will be designed strictly by our Veterans Memorial Committee. 

The Issues:

Our committee has spent years of volunteer hours planning a unique site design and fundraising for this beautiful Veteran's Memorial site which will add as a historical & meaningful addition to our community. Our committee members had given a very clear & full depiction of the proposal, design initiative and plans at multiple presentations to PTOS & Council- both is small & formal group settings. We also included alternatives to ensure our community events can still proceed with a shifting of set up, including the option to close the road in between the park and Peterson's Mill which would allow everything to shift back a bit - which quite frankly would be a safer measure to keep major activities away from a busy HWY 95 and keeping the front of the park looking immaculate. Parks Trails & Open Spaces (PTOS) heard our request and was given a full presentation in July 2021 (you may watch the presentation on the city website under PTOS meetings.) This recommendation passed with all in favor except for one commissioner.  It was then brought in front of City Council.  Then, after months of discussion and meetings by City Council, it was tabled. The Council wanted to research this with the community and has done so since our original meeting after the PTOS recommendation.  Council has decided to include our Memorial initiative in their PTOS parks & trails survey and send it out to the public before having the City Council vote on this location's approval. We plan to resubmit this proposal in February and need your show of support here for this amazing initiative memorializing our armed forces & veterans.  If you want to see the history of the Council meetings, we urge you to watch the videos from our meeting dates & presentations: 

PTOS: July 12th, 2021

Council: September 14th, 2021; September 28, 2021; October 26th 2021; November 9th, 2021, January 25th, 2022 and February 8th 2022 (upcoming-final meeting)

A bit of history on the project:  This has been a 4-5 year project, we had originally intended this to be built on school grounds as this was the only option when we originally started the plans and discussion.  Over the years and through word of mouth, we heard feedback that many Veterans preferred a more central location that would display & honor our Veterans in the heart of our community.  It was asked of us that we explore Central Park.  We hosted a large meeting at the Legion-VFW with many Veterans and our committee with the support of the school.  It was at this meeting that the overwhelming ask was to place the memorial in the park.  So here we are today and hopeful for an approval.  

In speaking with local Veterans and hosting presentations at our local American Legion & VFW, a large number of Veterans have requested this location due to its central proximity & visibility to be showcased in our community. The location of the Memorial in the park will have absolutely NO impact on any existing park features as it will be placed in a locale which will allow them all to stay in-tact (pictured here.) We will not be including any military heavy equipment or plans for expansion in our design.  Plans include beautiful granite with names of our veterans, artistic structures, artwork etchings in granite, pedestals of each military branch, signage, wall of donor support and some unique aspects to be unveiled shortly.  Our organization's sole goal is to unveil a uniquely designed masterpiece in the park, where people will want to stop and visit to pay their respects, allow families to donate & list their loved ones names and bring their families to come together to remember our armed forces who have fought for decades to continue our freedoms.  The location will also allow excellent visibility to people traveling through our community from highway 95 and via the sidewalks, which was another asset for placing it here. This prominent location in the heart of our community will ensure that all generations have an opportunity to easily access the display of support, honor & pride.

This site will be 100% funded and led by North Branch Beautification Veteran's Committee through generous donations & member support.  We would love to see your support of our Veterans by signing this petition and getting involved, making a donation or purchasing a spot to honor a loved one...  If this site is approved, our Beautification's Veteran's Memorial Committee can move forward with a final design, fundraising efforts and implementation but we need YOUR support!! If the site is not approved, we are extremely limited with alternative sites and many of our members prefer this to stay in the heart of our city versus being in a park or other area which is not prominently located.

*If you are interested in donating, please feel free to reach out to us Facebook at North Branch Beautification Association or by email at BeautificationNB@gmail.com

After signing, please visit our Facebook site to help us by completing the City Survey Link regarding parks and the Memorial Initiative.  

Thank you for your support- NBBA & Veteran's Memorial Committee Members