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Oldsmar Memorial Walls Filling UP

By Mark Schantz | The Suncoast News

Published: February 2, 2008

OLDSMAR, Fla. - OLDSMAR, Fla. - Sometime this year all the space for names on the seven walls that comprise the monument in Oldsmar Veterans Memorial Park should be filled.

Under the current rules governing the monument, an honorably discharged resident can have his or her name affixed to the wall of honor.

Names of nonresident veterans are sometimes accepted through a special exception.

The city receives about 60 to 70 requests to have a name added to the wall each year, said City Clerk Lisa Lene. The requests come from veterans or family members and friends of veterans.

There is room for about seven more monument walls to be placed in the 5-acre waterfront park at 250 Shore Drive E. This would provide space for from 480 to 640 additional names, according to Lene.

The monument was first installed on the grounds of City Hall and then moved to the park when the city acquired the property for it using a Florida Communities Trust grant.

Veterans Memorial Park improvements are planned for this year, Lene said.

Earlier this month City Council voted to establish a Veterans Memorial Advisory Board. It met Monday at City Hall.

Along with making recommendations on park improvements, the board forwards names of nominated resident veterans to City Council to be placed on the wall.

The advisory board also recommends nonresidents who qualify for the special exception needed before their names can be placed on the wall.

Veterans of the Canadian military, veterans who previously lived in Oldsmar and nonresidents could qualify for a special exception.

Advisory Board members decided to meet again 4:30 p.m. Feb. 25 at City Hall, Lene said.

One item to be discussed is a brick-paver memorial program.

Under the proposal, which the City Council would have to sanction, pavers would be placed around the memorial. The bricks could be purchased by anyone, including those who do not qualify to have their name on the memorial, Lene said.

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