Community leaders, Veterans and elected officials celebrated the grand opening of the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza located on the west side of the Sparks Marina.
Since 2014, officials with the project have raised at least $1.3 million from generous organizations and individuals to build this place to honor Nevadans Veterans past and present who have given their lives to protecting our freedoms.
“It is our responsibility to acknowledge the sacrifice and accomplishments of those who gave a part of their youth, or the entirety of their lives for these great States,” said Councilman Kristopher Dahir, City of Sparks and board member of the Nevada Veterans Memorial Plaza Project. “We believe that it is our responsibility to build a Plaza to honor our Veterans, who allowed us the freedoms and rights we enjoy today, and to have a place to commemorate the brave actions of future generations of service men and women.”
The Plaza, built in partnership with Q&D Construction, will allow the public to walk among the names of the 896 fallen Nevada Veterans, provide a place for teachers and parents to explain the history and sacrifice of Service Members, and a destination for Veteran organizations to hold meetings.
More than 1,000 commemorative bricks have been sold and installed at the project. Bricks can include a variety of information like the Veteran’s name, rate, rank, military branch, and where they were stationed. These bricks will continue to be sold with these sales benefitting the plaza project. Additional bricks will be installed in waves. Bricks range from $100 to $1,000. To purchase a commemorative brick, click here.
The memorial plaza will not only display the names of fallen Nevada Veterans, it will also have a Ron E. Smith Educational Path honoring late Sparks Mayor Ron Smith, who is a co-founder of the plaza. The completion of this project coincides with Veterans Day this year.
On Veterans Day, Friday, November 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sparks Florist will be onsite with a flower donation. Sparks Florist will be giving flowers to the public to place at the wall and memorial benches to honor fallen Veterans.
To learn more about the project, visit nvmp.us.
