|
Some Files require
Adobe Reader
| |
|
Montgomery
County War Memorial Renovations
Call for Information on Veterans for Memorial
Jean
Smoorenburg
|
|
Kenny Smith, a
Conroe resident, has been on a crusade to refurbish the
Montgomery County War Memorial for the past
year. I heard him speak several weeks ago about his efforts. In addition to
upgrading and revitalizing the war memorial itself, he would like to add any
information you our readers may have, biographical and/or genealogical or
otherwise, that gives us an insight into the lives of the veterans with
Montgomery County connections who gave their lives to ensure our freedom. If
you have any additional information regarding these veterans, birth, death,
rank, hobbies, burial, genealogical, biographical, etc., please contact
Jean Smoorenburg.
I will pass the info onto Kenny Smith (who does not have any email) and post
your info on this site.
|
|
July 2, 2008,
12:38PM
Renovation efforts under
way for Memorial Park
Construction on new plaza ready to start at site that honors county’s
veterans |
|
By
Beth Kuhles, Chronicle Correspondent
|
| |
Montgomery County War Memorial Park
|
Montgomery County War
Memorial Park is located in downtown Conroe on Texas 105 in front of the
Montgomery County Tax Office. The Veteran’s Park, as it is commonly
called, was dedicated April 29, 1976 by Gerald Ford, President of the
United States, in memory of those who served our country.
|
| The Veterans of Foreign
War, Montgomery County Democratic Party, The Patriotic and Historical
Society as well as various other organizations, hosts ceremonies on
Memorial Day each year commemorating fallen soldiers of Montgomery
County |
Source: Montgomery
County Parks Department
|
| Demolition is expected to
begin after July 4 on the fountain at Montgomery County War Memorial
Park to make way for a plaza honoring the county’s fallen soldiers.
|
| |
| It is the first phase of
the rebirth of the monument, dedicated in 1976 to honor those killed in
action during time of war. It recognizes 164 men and women from
Montgomery County who gave their lives in service from World War I to
the ongoing war in Iraq. |
| |
| “It is beautiful and it is
great,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador. “It pays proper
respect for the people we are building it for.” |
| |
| The project, the idea of
local businessman Kenny Smith, is being funded by the county and through
donations. Another fundraiser, most likely a motorcycle rally, is
planned later this month to continue the renovation of the park.
|
| |
| The first phase of the
project will remove the fountain and replace it with a plaza featuring
Texas granite markers for each soldier. The fountain, which suffered an
underground leak, is inoperable and would soak up the entire budget to
repair. |
| |
| “The new design is pretty
much maintenance free,” Meador said. |
| |
| In addition to the markers,
the plaza will be adorned with an American flag, Texas flag and Prisoner
of War flag. It also will include an etching of an eternal flame.
|
| |
| The park also features
granite benches for each branch of the armed forces. |
| |
| The first phase will also
include paths with pavers as well as landscaping. The design was
provided by Burditt and Associates. |
| |
| The monument sits on less
than a quarter acre in the center of downtown, in front of the
Montgomery County Tax Office at 400 N. San Jacinto. It is frequently
used by veteran’s groups for ceremonies, especially for Veteran’s Day
and Flag Day, said Corliss O’Shaughnessy, director of parks for
Montgomery County. |
| |
| The park is operated by
Montgomery County, which dedicated $60,000 for its renovation. The group
headed by Kenny Smith has raised $12,000 in donations towards the new
park and hopes to increase that by $10,000 at the next fundraiser. He
asked that any additional donations be made to Schmidt Memorial at 1305
N. Frazier to defray the cost of the granite. |
| |
| Aluminum plaques will be
mounted on the granite block and include the name, rank, branch of
services and birth and death dates of all county residents killed in
action. It will include local veterans who died in World War I, World
War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, the Iraq War and
during action in Lebanon. |
Reprint from the
Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nb/woodlands/faces/5867912.html
Update
from
The
Courier on the
New Design of the Park
|
Memorial in the making
By Brad Meyer
Courier staff |
05/01/2008
|
|
The county’s aging memorial
to fallen soldiers will soon undergo a dramatic
transformation, reflecting the support of area veterans,
county officials and concerned citizens.
|
The new design for
revitalization of Montgomery County War Memorial Park,
located at Davis and San Jacinto streets in downtown
Conroe, reflects a simple, elegant tribute to county
military personnel who have died in the service of their
country.
|
“The plan calls for removal
of the water fountain that has never worked properly,”
said Corliss O’Shaughnessy, Montgomery County Parks
Director. “We’ll maintain the Lone Star theme and showcase
the plaques with the names of fallen soldiers.”
|
While a number of upgrades
have been suggested by area veterans and citizen groups,
the county will focus on replacing the broken water
fountain and the core park area, according to
O’Shaughnessy.
|
“County commissioners donated
$60,000 to the project earlier in the year,” she said. “We
will focus on upgrades for which we have funding.”
|
The design by landscape
architect Diana Wilson, of Burditt Associates in Conroe,
has a symbolic eternal flame design at the center of an
expansive Lone Star made of pavers. An actual flame was
considered but ruled out by Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike
Meador, according to O’Shaughnessy.
|
“There are a lot of
maintenance and liability issues associated with an open
flame,” said O’Shaughnessy. “The county’s goal is to pay
tribute, not create a potential hazard.”
|
Design specifications from
Burditt Associates will be used for open bidding on the
project, said O’Shaughnessy. She hopes demolition of the
fountain will begin by the end of May.
|
The poor condition of the
park came to public attention through the individual
effort of Kenny Smith, a U.S. Army veteran who spearheaded
an effort to clean up the grounds and restore dignity to
the 30-year-old park.
|
Smith directs a volunteer
effort to clean the park weekly and has paid for new flags
and other upgrades from his own pocket as well as funding
received from private donations. New granite benches,
representing each branch of American military service,
also have been added to replace cracked and broken
concrete benches.
|
“The design we originally
came up with for the park was estimated to cost around
$78,000,” said Smith. “We’d like to have the whole park be
upgraded and landscaped.
|
| County officials share
Smith’s sentiment, but O’Shaughnessy said they are
focusing on what they can accomplish with confirmed
funding, not speculation or wishful thinking. |
| “A number of individuals and
groups have expressed interest in fundraising for the
project,” she said. “But to date, we have not had any
monies actually donated from outside sources.” |
Several design ideas have
also been suggested by area residents, but O’Shaughnessy
pointed out that nothing can be installed or added to
county property without prior authorization and approval.
|
While county officials
welcome public input, taxpayers are ultimately responsible
for the maintenance and upkeep of the park. The initial
design and any subsequent enhancements are subject to
approval by Montgomery County Commissioners Court.
|
| “We’re fortunate to have a
nice park in the downtown area of Conroe,” added
O’Shaughnessy. “We are committed to making the park
something residents can be proud of.” |
Brad Meyer can be reached at
bmeyer@hcnonline.com |
|
©Houston Community Newspapers Online 2008
|
|
|
Montgomery County Memorial Park – March 2008
Photos by
Jean Smoorenburg
|
|
Montgomery County War Memorial Park
|
|
Montgomery County War Memorial
One of the New Benches in the Park
|
|
If you have any
additional Information to add about these brave soldiers from
Montgomery County, please contact
Jean Smoorenburg, and I'll have your
information.
|
|
The
following article appeared in the
Conroe Courier on
January 30, 2008
regarding Kenny Smith's efforts:
|
|
Commissioners Commit $60,000 to Memorial Park |
|
By Brad Meyer,
Conroe
Courier staff, 01/30/2008
|
|
A Conroe veteran's one-man
battle to restore dignity to the county's sole park dedicated to fallen
soldiers took a major step forward when county commissioners announced they
would join the campaign.
|
|
Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike
Meador announced Monday in Commissioners Court that the county will donate
$60,000 to the grassroots effort to upgrade and revitalize Montgomery War
Memorial Park.
|
|
"I've always been pleased
with the support county officials have given," said Kenny Smith, the U.S.
Army 101st Airborne Division veteran who has spearheaded the campaign. "This
will have a major impact on helping us achieve our goals."
|
|
Smith began working at the
30-year-old park, located at the corner of Davis and San Jacinto in downtown
Conroe, nearly a year ago when he noticed it was overgrown with weeds and
falling into disrepair. The American flag on the monument was worn, the
concrete benches were falling apart and plaques honoring fallen soldiers
were missing.
|
|
"I felt obligated to get
involved and try to make a difference," Smith said of his early efforts. "I
contacted county officials and told them I wanted to volunteer to help clean
the grounds and maintain the park."
|
|
Donating his time and paying
for supplies out of his own pocket, Smith's efforts attracted the interest
and support of community residents, organizations and elected officials.
|
|
"We're very appreciative of
Kenny's efforts," said
Kay Lee, Montgomery County Veterans
Services officer. "Local veterans groups appreciate his commitment to
honoring Montgomery County soldiers killed in action."
|
|
Support for Smith's campaign
includes volunteers who join him in weekly cleaning of the grounds and
contributions to help restore the park. Donations have allowed Smith to
install new granite benches honoring all branches of the U.S. military and
update the plaques to include the names of all soldiers killed in the
current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
|
|
Earlier this month, Smith and
his coalition of supporting individuals and organizations unveiled plans to
completely renovate and landscape the once-forgotten park. He hoped county
officials would support the project, but was prepared to continue soliciting
donations.
|
|
"I met with Commissioner
Meador on Thursday and he asked me to appear at Commissioners Court on
Monday," said Smith. "I had no idea they be as supportive as they were."
|
|
While the $60,000
contribution must be formally approved by commissioners, plans are already
being developed to control the funding through county agencies, according to
Corliss O'Shaughnessy, Montgomery County Parks director.
|
|
"We support all the efforts
to restore the park," she said. "But the county maintains control and
responsibility for how funds are dispersed."
|
|
The contribution will go a
long way toward realizing the goal to revitalize the park, according to
Smith, but it won't cover all of the planned renovations. Additional
donations will be sought to fix the water fountain that has never worked
properly and complete the elaborate landscaping effort.
|
|
"There's a lot of work to be
done," Smith acknowledged, "but the support of county commissioners means we
can show residents some real progress in the near future."
|
|
Brad Meyer can be reached at
bmeyer@hcnonline.com |
|
©Houston
Community Newspapers Online 2008
|
|
Here are the
names of the Veterans with
Montgomery County Connections
that Died in
Service to our Country:
|
|
Veterans List
|
|
Additional Information for Veterans
|
| Home
|
Top |
World War I |
World War II Army & Air Force Casualties
| |World War I Letter Home |A Moving Tribute |
|Montgomery County
in WWI |
|World War II Navy, Marine Corps, Coast
Guard
Casualties |
|Kenny Smith Passes Away |
|
Former County Judge hopes to move war memorial park
|
|
|
