Politics & Government

Construction on Oakdale's New Veterans Memorial Begins Next Week

Construction should be complete by Veterans Day.

The wait is finally over. 

Oakdale is getting its own veterans memorial. Construction will begin next week, after the Fourth of July festivities wind down. The project should be complete by Veterans Day on Nov. 11. 

After four years of planning and fundraising, a 4 to 5-foot wall with three granite plaques and shrubbery will sit adjacent to .

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"We plan on breaking ground next week and then we'll start turning our shovels," said Randy Bastyr, the city's parks superintendent and member of the Oakdale Veteran's Memorial Committee. 

The project's first cost estimate was $100,000, but since then it has dropped down to $52,000, Bastyr said. 

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The Oakdale Veteran's Memorial Committee, which has spearheaded the project, has raised more than $15,000 through various fundraising efforts, including a raffle for a 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle. 

The committee has also sold about 160 paver bricks of the 550 available bricks. People can purchase a paver brick for $75 to honor anyone who has served in the military.

"A person can buy a brick in honor of their father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, son — anyone who has served," Bastyr said. 

Despite the committee's efforts, the group has not been able to raise as much money as they originally hoped. That's where the city has stepped in. 

The city has approved a low-interest loan of $40,000 to get the project done. 

"This is a really important project for all of our veterans in Oakdale," Mayor Carmen Sarrack said. "They had a tough time raising money because of the economy and so we thought we'd help them out here."

Once the project is complete the committee will host a ceremony to commemorate the event for Veterans Day. 

"I give the Veteran's Memorial Committee a lot of credit," Sarrack said. "They worked hard to get to this point." 

Those interested in engraving a paver brick in honor of someone who has served in the military can pick up an order form in City Hall. 


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