City of Tualatin Veterans Plaza in Tualatin Times

Tualatin Seeks Input on Veterans Memorial Design

Author
Ray Pitz

Date Published
April 2022

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Concept 3 Rendering
Concept 3 Rendering

Tualatin is looking for public input regarding preference of three designs planned for the future Veterans Plaza memorial planned for the Tualatin Lake at the Commons.

From now until April 22, residents can weigh in on the designs — via an online survey — all produced by Shapiro Didway.

Each of the design options includes 11 to 13 preferred elements at the site, varying slightly from design to design.

One concept asks if there’s a desire for a water fountain in the Lake at the Commons, with another asking there’s a preference for military service pubic art consisting of boulders in the lake instead.

Gathering space options vary as well, with one that includes stepped seating and a ground plane labyrinth that looks out to the lake with in-ground military branch plaques. Another gathering area option includes construction of a stone bench with a central reflection pool featuring an American plaque. A third option focuses on stone seats.

“Once (residents) have reviewed the options, they can then take a survey to select their favorite and share additional input such as military plaque placement and plaza name,” said Kyla Cesca of the Tualatin Parks and Recreation Department. “The information collected though the survey will be used by the design consultants to create one final refined design based on what the community would like to see in the space.”

Cesca said Shapiro Didway will forward that final option to the city government, with the Tualatin City Council making a decision later this summer.

Concept 1 Rendering

“We are working to make sure we provide our consultants with the time they need to create a design that will honor veterans and meet the desires of the community,” Cesca said.

Earlier in the project, consultants helped define who should be honored in the memorial space, along with a theme and objectives. That resulted in creating a space where visitors found a sense of connection, engagement, experience, shared values and sense of timelessness.

Tualatin officials are looking at possible sources of funding for the memorial, including grants, capital improvement funds, and future voter initiatives and bonds.

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