Veterans Memorial Plaza Renovation

Over a century of history lies in the memorial area which speaks to the importance of preserving and maintaining the memorial plaza, while ensuring it is a safe, usable space for the entire Community for the next century.

The goals of this restoration project addressed several needs:

• ADA accessibility by eliminating barriers
• Installing new benches to replace aging wood benches
• New stairs with added handrails to improve access
• Moving bronze memorial plaques to a vertical surface for better visibility and preservation
• Adding informational signage
• Installation of podiums to recognize each of the armed forces

Funding support for Project

Grant Funding:

• Historic Cemeteries Grant - Oregon Heritage, Oregon State Parks:  Design plans, site survey, construction documents and observation, bidding support
• Metro Enhancement Grant - Metro Community Grant Program:  Earthwork, concrete stairs, and footings
• Veterans Memorial Grant - Oregon Heritage, Oregon State Parks:  Concrete pathways, footings, and support walls around the perimeter of the memorial plaza

Community Organization Donors:

• Three Rivers VFW Post 1324:  Armed Forces Podiums for Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force to be placed on the pathway leading to the memorial area
• Oregon City Woman's Club:  Funding to help with the purchase and installation of a new flagpole and base for the memorial wall that will be the location of where the historic bonze plaques will be set
• Oregon City Optimists:  Funding to help with the purchase and installation of a new flagpole

Material and Labor Donations:

• Mutual Materials:  Donation of all pavers for plaza and new pathway
• Horizon Distributors:  Donation of paver sand and edging for new pathway
• The Wall:   Donation of paver install and creating new paver pathway
• Pacific Landscape Services, Inc:   Donation of paver install and new pathway
• Bud’s Crane Service:  Donation of time to remove old flagpole
• OM Stone:  Donation of plaque recognizing all donors and contributors

Contracted Work:

• Lango Hanson:  Design plans and construction documents for renovation
• D&D Concrete:  All concrete work including pathways, stairs, and foot walls around the perimeter of the plaza
• OM Stone: Military podiums, new granite wall base that is the new location for existing bronze memorial plaques, and granite benches

Project Timeline:

• 2019
  • A core planning group that included the VFW Post 1324 was created to prepare a plan to create a safe and accessible Veterans Memorial Plaza.
  • Work began with Lango Hansen, Landscape Architects to prepare a plan and construction documents for the renovation.  In the Summer of 2021, the Parks Maintenance crew completed demo and grading of the site.  D&D Concrete and Utilities was hired to pour footings, retaining walls, pathway, and stairs.
  • Received Historic Cemeteries Grant to help fund the renovation project plans and construction documents.
• 2020
  • Received grant funding from Metro Enhancement Grant and Veterans & War Memorials Grant.  Funding was used for concrete work and installation of new walking paths, stairs, and plaza retaining walls.
• 2021
  • Parks Maintenance team completed all demolition and removal of concrete work of original plaza
  • Removal of original flagpole was removed by Parks Maintenance team and Bud’s Crane Services
  • Concrete work completed by D&D Concrete & Utilities
• 2022-2023
  • Bid request and installation of new flagpole completed by Elmer’s Flag & Banner.
• 2024
  • Installation of military podiums, benches, and memorial wall.  Bronze memorial plaques were installed on lower portion of the memorial wall.  Work completed by OM Stone.