By Tim Leeds/Havre Daily News/tleeds@havredailynews.com
The Havre VFW post plans to add a veterans memorial wall to the Town Square next spring.
Jim Matter, VFW post commander, said the wall will be built behind the flagpole at the Town Square, and the VFW post will sell 3-by-6-inch plaques to be mounted on the wall.
The front side of the wall will hold about 900 plaques, he said.
"When we fill the front side, we'll start the back side," Matter said.
Debbie Vandenberg, executive director of the Havre Area Chamber of Commerce, said that as projects are completed at the Town Square it "just puts finishing touches on that community project."
Bear Paw Credit Union has commissioned three statues from local artist Cory Holmes for the downtown park. The first, which appeared in September, is a life-sized metal sculpture of a bison.
The main section of the veterans memorial wall will be 8 feet wide and 6 feet tall. Other sections will be placed at an angle on each side, creating an alcove around the flagpole. Those walls will be 9 feet long and 6 feet tall at the back, angling down to 3 feet in height at the front.
Matter said money from the memorial plaques will be used to pay for the construction of the wall and for its maintenance and the maintenance of the flag and flagpole. The VFW installed the flagpole and has been in charge of its use since the Town Square was opened.
He said he hopes to build the wall using volunteer labor, although the VFW might have to hire a contractor to do the work.
The plaques will cost $25 each.
The plaques will include the name of the veteran, the veteran's branch of service and dates of service. Any veteran's name can be put on the wall, he said, including memorials to living veterans.
The Town Square opened in 2001.
