Upgrades to the veteran’s memorial are underway on the Village Green in Great Neck to provide a more interactive and appealing attraction to honor local service members who died in past wars.
A small memorial currently exists on a brick wall behind a concrete platform on the Village Green which is used mostly for Memorial Day events.
According to the new plan, the existing plaques which honor local service members killed in World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam will be upgraded and made more accessible to patrons and extra features will be added to create a more appealing display for visitors.
“A lot of the World War II veterans are having a tough time climbing up,” said Great Neck Park District Commissioner Robert A. Lincoln Jr., the liaison for the project. “We want to make something more meaningful.”
Part of a larger five-year revitalization plan for the Village Green located on Middle Neck Road, upgrades to the memorial also will include three new flagpoles, brick columns, upgraded medallions representing each branch of the armed forces, plaques commemorating the fallen veterans and a more interactive design.
Lincoln said the veteran’s memorial project is being conducted in conjunction with the Veteran’s of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
The Village Green is home to a formal rose garden, gazebo, children’s playground and a bandstand for concerts which houses the current memorial.
The project is expected to be completed by Veteran’s Day, according to Lincoln.
Although funding for the project, was approved by former state Sen. Craig Johnson, it has not been received by the park district which is moving ahead with construction.
“If the money falls through, it’s not going to shut the project down,” said Lincoln.
According to the park district website, the goal of Village Green restoration – which includes new lighting, two designed entrances, the new veteran’s memorial, a fountain and a children’s play garden – is to create a centerpiece for the “Old Village.”
