News

QC veterans & families celebrate phase 2 of Davenport's Veterans Memorial Park

WVIK, Quad Cities NPR | By Michelle O'Neill

Published November 3, 2023 at 3:32 PM CDT

Six photos from Davenport's ribbon cutting ceremony for phase 2 of the Veterans Memorial Park project including a mural, statue, Bill Churchill (Pres. of Friends of the park), soldier's cross carving, a parachuter, and "wall" featuring names of Vietnam War veterans within a 75-mile radius

Thursday morning, hundreds of people celebrated the completion of several big projects at the park.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony began with a Chinook helicopter flyover.

Wearing a gray sweater surrounded by family, Davenport West High School art teacher, Dave Schaeffer, poses for a photo with the huge mural he painted for Veterans Memorial Park. He incorporated a war-time letter written by his grandfather in the painting. He started working on the project at his home in 2020 and completed it in 2021.

Several American Legion honor guards were on hand while the Friends of Veterans Memorial Park, city officials, and others spent more than an hour thanking individuals, businesses, city employees, union workers, volunteers and others who contributed money, materials, and labor to create a park that honors all veterans.

Bill Churchill, President of the Friends group, thanked many, many people, including one of the group's oldest members, Myron Lynch. He'll celebrate his 95th birthday on Saturday.

Veterans Memorial Park is located on Davenport's riverfront near the Marquette Street boat ramp. The Friends group raised the money and in-kind donations to provide several key elements:

A bronze statue of a bugler will eventually include a sound system to play Reveille and Taps every day.
Signs along the park trail describe veterans and their service.
A large mural was painted by Davenport West High School art teacher, Dave Schaeffer.

Davenport West Industrial Technology teacher, Andy Zinn, took time to thank his students, former students, contractors, and others who helped design and build the mural's concrete and steel foundation.

The City of Davenport, in partnership with the Friends of Veterans Memorial Park (FOVMP), hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the completion of Phase II in the development of Veterans Memorial Park. The development of Veterans Memorial Park began in 2010 with the establishment of a Veterans Task Force to evaluate sites within the City and recommend an ideal location. The former Crescent Park was selected as the ideal site and subsequently renamed “Veterans Memorial Park.” Phase I included the addition of the Flagpole Plaza and establishment of the future Memorial Plaza, Drop Off, and Grande Allee Tree Memorial. Memorial Day 2011 marked the official dedication of the Park and completion of Phase I. Phase II sought to transform the Memorial from a small circular area to a multi-faceted, interactive experience. The primary goal for Phase II was the construction of the Mississippi River Overlook, with secondary goals including grading of the site for future improvements and the establishment of native prairie grass. FOVMP contributed funds for a mural, bugler statue, and sign. It partnered with the Davenport Community School District to help bring this to life. Andy Zinn, Vocational Arts Instructor at Davenport West High School, and his students designed and constructed the framing of a panoramic eight-foot by ten-foot mural honoring each branch of the military. Dave Schaffer, Art Instructor at Davenport West High School, was commissioned by the FOVMP to create and paint the mural. The students also constructed the base for the bugler statue and coordinated installation of other footings. — A bagpiper plays while standing at the new Mississippi riverfront overlook, the main part of Davenport's work for Phase II of park development.

The City of Davenport spent capital improvement funds to clear the site, build a Mississippi River overlook, install a walking path, and create an amphitheater.

Churchill, the head of Friends of Veterans Memorial Park, thanked everyone those who donated time, talent, and money to the projects. And he says the group's work will continue into the 3rd phase since there's a total of 43 acres to develop.

After the ribbon-cutting, the entire crowd enjoyed watching three parachuters jump out of an airplane, and land in the Davenport park that'll benefit veterans and the Quad Cities area for years to come.