2021: A New Era in Community Support to the Veterans Memorial Center and Park
We all hope 2021 will be a much better year than 2020 for us, for our families, for our communities, for our country and, indeed, for the world, it is already very promising for the growing jewel on Merritt Island: the Veterans Memorial Center and Park.
The story began in 1990 when the original Veterans Memorial Center was built on Brevard County property along Sykes Creek behind the Merritt Square Mall. By 2011 a beautiful Memorial Plaza, helicopters, trucks, jeeps, a tank and a cramped museum and library drew hundreds every month.
The next transformation began in 2015 when a grant from the State of Florida of $1.5 Million combined with $1.2 Million from Brevard County and the Tourist Development Council led to the Veterans Day 2016 unveiling of the 6,000 Square feet, three story Veterans Military Museum and the First Phase of creating the Veterans Memorial Park in the
82 acres adjacent to the Center. All this was made possible by the partnership between the 500 veteran VMC members who represent the 72,000 veterans who live in Brevard and all levels of government as well as the community.
In fact the community in the form of organizations, businesses and individuals contributed another $600K over three years to build out the beautiful museum, enhance the original building, expand the Plaza and much more. The next transformation began in 2015 when a grant from the State of Florida of $1.5 Million combined with $1.2 Million from Brevard County and the Tourist Development Council led to the Veterans Day 2016 unveiling of the 6,000 Square feet, three story Veterans Military Museum and the First Phase of creating the Veterans Memorial Park in the 82 acres adjacent to the Center.
All this was made possible by the partnership between the 500 veteran VMC members who represent the 72,000 veterans who live in Brevard and all levels of government as well as the community. In fact the Despite the 2020 Covid19 pandemic VMC veterans, the government and the community found new ways to create remarkable improvements into 2021 and beyond. First, the County ,led by the Merritt Island Redevelopment Agency (MIRA), Parks and Rec and the County Commission, found another $1.5 Million to begin Phase II of Park enhancement which will eventually include a fantastic 5K trail over pathways, board walks and bridges; a new 50 car parking lot on the west side of the Park; many shade trees and other plants, a playground cover, power and irrigation water and much more by mid 2021.
Then, in October 2020 the VMC, along with Brevard Parks in Cocoa Beach, and the Titusville Police Hall of Fame received new, major grants from the Tourist Development Council. Combined with MIRA County funds the grant for VMC is for $2.3 Million to build a major amphitheater in Veterans Memorial Park where concerts, Brevard Symphony Orchestra programs, military ceremonies, fairs, festivals and much more will be held and draw thousands to the Park and the VMC in the months and years ahead.
All of this is really a remarkable story made possible by partnerships between veterans, government and the community. The VMC and Park is well underway to become a very special jewel on Merritt Island where many hope, with its partnership with the Merritt Island Mall, the immediate area will become an even greater hub of special events, recreation, youth programs, education and support to many for the entire community.
For more information about the present and future Center and Park, contact the VMC at 321-453-1776. Better yet, come for an initial visit and they promise you will be back. There is so much now to see and do with even more coming in 2021.
Recent Comments