Veterans weigh in on plans for Davis Park

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

There are no plans to move the veterans memorial located on the Vernon County Courthouse lawn. In fact, the unanimous and resounding answer from the Davis Park subcommittee to concerns raised by American Legion Commander Alvin Mohlfield during the subcommittee's monthly meeting Tuesday evening at the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center, was that there were never any such plans.

The subcommittee, which is planning a veterans-themed display for Davis Park on Centennial Boulevard, in conjunction with the neighboring Elks Lodge's plan to install a garrison flag on a 70-foot flagpole, invited representatives from the American Legion, VFW and Vietnam Veterans of America to attend yesterday's meeting, after hearing that some members of these organizations had concerns about the plans for Davis Park.

"Just don't move the stone," Mohlfield told the committee; adding that, several years ago, there was talk of moving the monument, and the Vernon County Commission, along with local veterans organizations, was opposed to that.

"We've never, ever talked about moving the monument," Shirley Ann Bastow, subcommittee chair, said. "We don't want to step on anyone's toes. We have no intention of touching anything on the Square. We want this park to honor all veterans," she said.

Lance Christie, subcommittee member, said that they can put signs in the park to help direct visitors to the monument on the Square.

Mohlfield said at the end of the meeting that attending had given him a different insight into the project.

"We would like for you guys to come to every meeting. We're doing this for you," Christie said.

This subcommittee meets the last Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Franklin P. Norman City/County Community Center.

Bastow told Mohlfield the committee is considering moving the caboose that is currently in Earp Park into Davis Park and painting it in the colors that would have been used on a troop train, then painting a mural on the caboose about Camp Clark and the POWs housed there during World War II.

"It will probably need to be moved anyway, with the construction of the new city hall," Bastow said.

She said that they have tried to get a piece of retired military equipment for the park.

"Right now it's cost-prohibitive," Christie said.

Christie, who is a veteran, has been working on acquiring some piece of equipment for the park, ranging from aircraft to a howitizer.

The problem comes from the cost of demilitarizing the equipment as well as maintaining the equipment after it is installed.

And currently the parks board does not have any money to do a project like this.

"Right now this is planning. In 2014 there will be some money available," Bastow said.

"A lot of this is low-cost," Christie said.

When Nevada voters renewed the city's 1/2-cent parks sales tax last year, they removed the restriction that required the money to be used for specific construction projects. The money can be used for operation expenses as well as unspecified construction projects. The renewed tax goes into effect in 2014.

Christie told Mohlfield that in addition to the military theme in the park, he wants to be sure there is still playground equipment to provide kids places to play and to be exposed to military history.

"I want them to understand this land wasn't free. We had to fight for it. A lot of people died for it," Christie said.

Bastow said that the committee also is considering making an entrance to the park with columns of Carthage marble, engraved with the names of each branch of armed forces.

"I just want people driving down the road to stop and say 'Wow!'" Bastow said.