On Tuesday, April 20, 2021, Moncus Park celebrated the groundbreaking of the Veterans Memorial. The Veterans Memorial at Moncus Park will be a lasting symbol of the courage, patriotism, sacrifice, and honor of all who have served. This memorial space will feature a flag court, flanked by large tablets that commemorate American military participation in key conflicts throughout history. The Memorial also includes inscriptions in brick pavers and seat walls that have been sponsored by local Veterans and their loved ones in honor of their service.
The Veterans Memorial was made possible by substantial contributions from The Stuller Family Foundation, The Pinhook Foundation, Jim & Ginger Roy, the Renee & Herbie Schilling Fund, Schilling Distribution Company, Casey Lowe, Bo & Jerry Ramsay, the Beaver Club of Lafayette, Stanley & Susan Blackstone, and the On Call Band. In addition to these donations, the Veterans Memorial at Moncus Park Committee and Veterans Action Coalition have actively raised funds and advocated on the Park’s behalf for the creation and development of this space through the ongoing brick paver and seat wall inscription campaigns.
Throughout the planning and design process for the Park’s master plan, Veterans have been engaged on many levels. Their participation ensured that this beautiful space will serve the needs of many different types of military events including memorial ceremonies, military weddings, holiday celebrations, and more.
“This does my heart good. It’s for Veterans, but it’s also for anyone who has been involved in military service. This honors everyone all the way back to the Revolutionary War. We thought this would be a beautiful way to honor them as well as add to the beauty of the park. We do plan to have activities there such as lectures or military weddings. It will also be educational for schoolchildren and anyone else who wants to learn more about the incredible service that our Veterans have made for our country,” said Dr. Skip Palmintier, Co-Chairman of the Veterans Memorial at Moncus Park Committee.
The Veterans Memorial will be built alongside the future Botanical Garden area, and is in close proximity to restrooms and parking for easy access. The Veterans Memorial, one of the six new features in Moncus Park’s Phase 2 Construction, is set to be completed by late Fall 2021 for Moncus Park’s Grand Opening. Other park elements that have been sponsored by donors and are set to be completed before the Grand Opening include the amphitheater sponsored by IBERIABANK, a division of First Horizon, the treehouse designed by the team from the TV show “Treehouse Masters”, an inclusive playground and promenade sponsored by Ochsner Lafayette General, an interactive water feature sponsored by Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, and a restroom facility.