Four veterans organizations have pledged a combined $120,000 toward a Lorain Veterans Memorial Park project expected to cost more than $1 million. American Legion Post 30, AMVETS Post 47, Italian American Veterans Post 1 and Lorain’s VFW each committed $30,000, according to News 5 Cleveland.
The proposal would change the park’s layout and add new memorial features. News 5 reports that organizers want to remove the stage and raised platform, flatten the grounds and make room for gatherings, parking and food-truck hookups. The plans also call for a Gold Star memorial and statues honoring Lorain veterans, including Quincy Gilmore Adams, Admiral King and local Medal of Honor recipients.
The effort is being led by Ward 7 Councilman John Bearer, a Marine Corps veteran, in coordination with the city and the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission, News 5 reports. Commission executive director Jacob Smith has identified graffiti in parts of the park as one concern. Bearer has connected the proposal to other work aimed at revitalizing nearby downtown and lakefront areas.
The park is on West Erie Avenue beside Lorain City Hall. Its existing features include a fountain, stage and stone memorial, according to News 5. The memorial dates to 1967; the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission’s history of the site credits its erection to the Lorain Memorial Association and Lorain Veterans Council. The commission’s account also describes the land’s earlier use as a public square.
The park proposal comes amid other county spending on veterans’ sites. On Dec. 3, 2024, the Lorain County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved six requests totaling more than $200,000 for veterans’ posts and monuments, the Morning Journal reported.
