In Westwood, NJ, we've watched our beloved park transform over the years, but not in ways we always hoped for. While we cherish the memories and history of our veterans and understand the significance of honoring those who served in World War II, the abundance of war memorials in our park has reached a point where it overshadows the park's natural beauty and its role as a community gathering space.

Currently, it feels as though every step we take leads us to another monument. What was once a vibrant area for families to walk, play, and relax has become a pathway crowded with solemn reminders. The balance is tipping away from a joyful community space towards a heavily memorialized area, which is not what many of us envisioned for our town's green oasis.

The other month, I was walking and saw ripped up ground right near the end of the park (near CVS), where they were putting a giant anchor memorial right in the middle. I don't understand why they chose to put it there, or why an anchor, but its slowly causing our park to become less beautiful. I, like all of you, understand the importance of War World Two, but we have many, more them many, memorials for World War two, and don't need to change our park into one. 

I used to love sitting in that park, before they fenced that tree, before any of the memorials. I just wish it was like that, because now its memorial after memorial. 

We propose an alternative. Let’s focus on enhancing the park with features that serve the living community as well as honor history. We can introduce more inclusive amenities, like community gardens, playgrounds for children, perhaps a single, comprehensive memorial area that respectfully commemorates our heroes without overwhelming the natural environment... but it doesn't all have to be in this one park.

I understand that, originally, this town was a town full of mostly elderly people, but slowly it  has been changing into a family town, and now, it doesn't make anymore sense. Now, almost everyone on my street are families. It just doesn't make sense to add that to our park where families should be walking our children. It also paints a picture on our town that it is a memorial town. 

We want to look to the future, not stick to the past. Instead of having to see all those memorials that remind us of the past, we should move on to the change in our town.

Moreover, maintaining Westwood Park as a versatile space is crucial for community bonds and mental well-being. It should inspire and invite not only reflection but also joy, creativity, health, and fun. We can achieve this by uniting to preserve the park's primary purpose as a lively public space for all to enjoy.

Let's strike a harmony between remembrance and recreation by urging local authorities to consider pausing the addition of further individual memorials and instead focus on creating a space that balances our shared history with our community's evolving needs.

Support our petition to ensure Westwood Park remains a welcoming environment for everyone. Sign now to advocate for preserving the beauty and purpose of our cherished park.