CONTRACTOR M.J. Cataldo, Inc. recently finished the site work for the new War Memorial that will be located on the green space adjacent to South Common Street. (Courtesy Photo)

 

 

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Site work for the new War Memorial has been completed, War Memorial Committee (WMC) Chairman Joe Connell said during a June 22 meeting.

The Select Board approved the new War Memorial’s design in December 2017. The new War Memorial is going to be constructed across the street from the Town Common on the green space adjacent to South Common Street. The existing memorial on the Town Common will remain in place.

Connell recalled that the new War Memorial will have an oval shape, and will feature a 5-foot curved wall that will contain plaques that will honor the Lynnfield veterans who served in each branch of the military. The new memorial will also include an American flagpole with lighting, benches and landscaping.

“The soonest we are going to begin construction is 2023,” said Connell. “The project has been in the works for the last five years.”

Connell said the site work was funded by a $50,000 grant that was included in the fiscal year 2022 state budget. He noted that contractor M.J. Cataldo, Inc. undertook the site work. The company also completed the Jordan Park and Town Common improvement projects two years ago.

DPW Director John Tomasz stated in a memo given to the WMC that the new memorial’s base material “has been placed for the memorial and the walkway.”

“The material was placed so the memorial base will be approximately 6-feet above the sidewalk elevation,” Tomasz stated.

Connell noted that screened topsoil and hydroseeding has been placed on the site.

WMC member Bruce Siegel, who is the town’s veterans services officer, said the site work came out “awesome.” He inquired if the new memorial will include sprinklers.

Connell said sprinklers will be installed at a later date.

The new memorial will include plaques that will give a brief history lesson about each war and will list the names of the Lynnfield veterans who served in that conflict. Connell said the WMC is working with Canadian-based PG Memorials to create the custom granite plaques as well as the four stone benches for the new memorial.

“We want this memorial to be educational,” said Connell. “All of the plaques will be engraved and will be 20×20.”

Connell said the WMC has a list of veterans whose names will be included on the new War Memorial, but he said the committee is looking to take out an advertisement in the newspaper to make sure there are no veterans missing.

“People will be able to come before the board with their proof,” said Connell. “If we missed a name, it will be added.”

Boy Scout Matthew Squadrito, who is a rising sophomore at Lynnfield High School, said he is helping the WMC verify the names of Lynnfield veterans who served in different American wars.

Siegel noted that the town has a list of the members of the armed forces who were killed in action, but he said the committee wants to make sure it has the names of all of the Lynnfield veterans who served.

Connell said it will be easy to find out which Lynnfield veterans served in the Persian Gulf War, the Afghanistan War, the Iraq War and the Global War on Terrorism because of those are the most recent U.S. wars.

Squadrito asked what will happen if a veteran has served in several wars.

Connell said the veterans who served in several wars will have their names engraved on multiple plaques.

Siegel thanked Squadrito and his father, Jim, for assisting the committee with the War Memorial initiative.

“Thank you very, very much,” said Siegel.

WMC member Tom Bogart agreed.

“I really appreciate what Matthew is doing,” said Bogart.

Once construction of the new War Memorial begins, WMC member John Harrigan said contractors are going to have to dig a trench for the memorial’s footings and foundation wall.

Connell also said the new memorial’s walking area will be made of brick pavers, and he said residents will be able to buy a brick and have a veteran’s named engraved on it. He said the funds raised from people buying the pavers will help finance the new War Memorial. He said the WMC will vote on the pavers’ colors and sizes at a future meeting.

“If people would like to buy a paver, they are more than welcome to,” said Connell.

Connell said the proposed FY23 state budget that has yet to be finalized will include an additional $50,000 grant for the War Memorial project.

Bogart thanked Connell for the work he has undertaken on the new War Memorial project. He also thanked former WMC Chairman Jason Kimball for getting the project off the ground.

“Jason wanted to honor the veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan because the current memorials stop at Vietnam,” said Bogart. “Joe took over several years ago, and has been doing an incredible job.”

Siegel said Kimball recently told him that he was “thrilled” that the new War Memorial is progressing.

Connell said the WMC is fortunate that the town is allowing the new War Memorial to be constructed on the green space adjacent to South Common Street.

“We are very lucky,” said Connell.

Looking ahead, Connell said the WMC will be giving an update about the new memorial’s design to the Select Board during a meeting this summer.