August 25, 2024
Archive

Dedication Nov. 10 for Oswego Veterans Serenity Park

By OSWEGO LEDGER

Elected officials and community members helped turn the dirt over at the future site of the Veterans Serenity Park along the Fox River in Oswego last April. Work on the park is scheduled for completion this fall with a dedication ceremony set for Sunday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. (Shea Lazansky)

The Oswegoland Park Foundation, in conjunction with the Veterans Serenity Park Committee, are nearing completion on the riverfront park in downtown Oswego. The committee has been securing private funding over the past 12 months to build the park and structural work began early last week.

The park will house riverfront pods dedicated to the five branches of the service. Additionally, the eternal flame will be housed in a cascading water feature currently being constructed by Aquascape of St. Charles.

The park will feature memorial benches, tribute bricks honoring present and past service personnel with some going back to the Civil War. Also being constructed will be a reflective butterfly garden immediately behind the entry way. The walkway from the Vietnam Wall that visited Oswego in 2017, was preserved and will be featured throughout the park.

The park is designed to be a lasting tribute to the men and women that have served and sacrificed for our country. It is a solitude sanctuary designed to let people from every walk of life seeking a quiet setting to enjoy the beauty of the river and a peaceful refuge.

“This park is a labor of love for the Oswegoland community and will be preserved into perpetuity honoring our veterans,” commented Chairman Dave Krahn. “I can’t say thank you enough to the people, businesses and the Oswegoland Park District for stepping up to the plate to make this a reality.”

The parks major benefactor has been Phil Edwards, owner of Twin Oaks Landscaping. “Without Phil’s involvement and expertise, this park would not have happened. He is the epitome of what Oswego is all about,” Krahn stated. “We are also fortunate to have Rep Stephanie Kifowit and Rep Keith Wheeler standing tall for Oswego.”

The park has many helping hands and naming several of the top benefactors include Mike Schoppe of Schoppe Design, Rick Kuhn of RJ Kuhn, Phil Solecki of Trinity Electric, Ken Bertrand of Allied Bank, Neal Dodd of L.J. Dodd Construction, Semper Fi, Fox River Stone and of course Chad Feldotto and Rich Zielke of the Oswegoland Park District. Invaluable resources that consistently strive to make Oswego the community of choice.

Plans call for the official dedication and grand opening to take place on Sunday, November 10 at 2 p.m. There are still memorial bricks available for purchase prior to the opening and information can be found at www.oswegoveteranspark.org or contact Dave Krahn at Krahn.david@gmail.com.