Posted in Pensacola

Veterans Memorial Park Announcement

   April 12, 2013

haywardEarlier today, Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward announced a new foundation to oversee Veterans Memorial Park. Here’s the city press release:

Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward joined City Council members and members of his Veterans Memorial Park Steering Committee this morning to announce the establishment of a new foundation to manage and oversee the park.

Emphasizing Pensacola’s special relationship and connection with the military, Hayward said that Veterans Memorial Park should be “first-class.” “It should be a beacon for freedom, a monument to our American ideals, and a tribute to those who have made our nation and our freedom possible,” said Mayor Hayward.

Though the City of Pensacola owns the land on which Veterans Memorial Park is located, responsibility for the park’s maintenance and operation has since the park’s creation in 1993 been vested in a non-profit organization, originally the Wall South Foundation. Mayor Hayward convened the steering committee last year after issues left the previous foundation unable to properly maintain the park.

In its report to Mayor Hayward, the committee stressed the need for the new foundation to be open and transparent. “The foundation has been designed to operate with the same level of openness expected of a public board,” said Mayor Hayward. “Its meetings will be open to the public and its finances will be transparent. This is our duty and our obligation to those who have invested their time, money, and hearts in this park.  “

Following remarks by Mayor Hayward and Steering Committee chairman Jack Brown, the members of the steering committee signed the articles of incorporation for the new foundation, to be known as the Veterans Memorial Park Foundation of Pensacola, Inc. The foundation will be led by a 13-member board, to be appointed initially by the six members of the steering committee who have incorporated the new foundation. “We’re looking for veterans, their family members, or those in our community who share our appreciation and commitment for this park and the legacy it represents,” said Mayor Hayward. “We are looking for stewards and advocates who understand and embrace this solemn responsibility.”

Hayward thanked Steering Committee chairman Jack Brown, as well as Vice Chairman Butch Hansen, as well as Dave Glassman, Joe Glover, Michael Swineheart and Charlie Switzer. City Council members Andy Terhaar, Gerald Wingate, and Charles Bare joined the Mayor for the announcement.

Share:

Rules for Comments

Your comments are welcomed, but there are some rules to follow:

(1) Be Nice. No comments that slander another, no racism, no sexism, no personal attacks.

(2) No Harrassing Comments.

(3) No Libel. That’s saying something is not true about someone. Don’t do it.

(4) Keep it clean. Nothing vulgar, obscene, or sexually related. No profanity or obvious substitutions.

(5) I reserve the right to remove any comments that violate our rules or are inappropriate. I am not responsible for what is posted. Comments may not appear right away until they are approved by a moderator.

(6) Limit your comments to the subject in this story only, and limit comments to 1,500 characters or less. Do not post copyrighted material. Comments will not be added to stories that are over five days old.

(7) No posts may advertise a commercial business, political candidate, or political group. Links in a comment aren’t allowed.

8) Commenting too many times may result in your comments not being allowed. Readers will begin to ignore your views.

9) Email me if you believe a comment violates any of these rules, and it will be deleted.