Lakeside advances plans for veterans memorial
BY HANNAH ELSMORE UNION-TRIBUNE LAKESIDE
County-backed project would recognize local vets at Lindo Lake Park
In the quiet East County community of Lakeside, a Wall of Honor is taking shape to recognize and honor residents who served in the military.
The proposal was brought forward by Richard Abraham, a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime Lakeside resident who has made it his mission to create a dedicated place to honor military service members close to home.
“It’s important for civilians to have a place where they can go to recognize and honor the veterans in their community,” Abraham said.
The memorial’s proposed design calls for a polished concrete wall and two benches, decorated with plaques honoring veterans on the wall’s interior curve and an illuminated sign labeled “Lakeside Veterans Wall of Honor,” positioned in front of the town’s community center at Lindo Lake Park.
Home to about 22,000 residents, the unincorporated community is home to a Veterans of Foreign Wars clubhouse — a meeting place for veterans where the nonprofit also offers resources and holds events.
The proposed monument would give Lakeside veterans and the community “a visible place for remembrance, reflection, and community gathering” at a site frequented by locals and visitors, Abraham said.
“For many Lakeside families, military service is part of their history, but the names and memories of those who served are often scattered across family records, photographs, and personal recollections,” he said. “It would make visible the service of neighbors, relatives, and generations of veterans whose stories are part of the town’s history.
” An estimated 1,700 military veterans reside in Lakeside, according to the most recent census data, but Abraham said that number is likely much higher.
The memorial could accommodate up to 13,000 name plaques for honorably discharged veterans who lived in Lakeside at any point of their life, after service documentation is verified.
“For veterans, it’s just somewhere where we can just meet and have a moment to sit there and reflect,” said Wendy Calderon, the post commander for Lakeside’s VFW.
The project has an estimated cost between $300,000 to $400,000 and is still moving through the county review process. Once construction starts, organizers estimate it could take up to four years for the memorial wall to be completed. The
San Diego County Parks and Recreation Department is supportive of the project, but is still working through specific planning details, according to Sean Hill, the department’s chief of operations for the East County region.
San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson said he supports the proposal and contributed $3,000 towards the project’s design through the Neighborhood Reinvestment grant program. “We know this memorial will stand for generations as a place of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance,” Anderson said in a statement. After construction is completed, families and community members will be able to sponsor plaques to honor eligible veterans, which would include their name, branch, years of service and the war or wars they served in. The cost of each plaque has yet to be determined, but it would cover the cost of engraving and any remaining funds would be reserved for the wall’s maintenance.
The group is accepting donations to fund construction once the project clears the county review process. They plan to fund construction entirely through donations, Abraham said, noting they are still fundraising to pay for the preliminary rendering and pre-construction costs.
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