Jacksonville is a city with deep military roots and a proud population of veterans. We show up at parades. We say “thank you for your service.” We display flags. But at some point, words must give way to action.
Right now, one of our most sacred monuments — the Veterans Memorial Wall — sits in the middle of a parking lot next to EverBank Stadium. It’s where we honor more than 1,700 Jacksonville-area heroes who gave their lives for this country. Their names are carved in granite, yet the wall itself feels like an afterthought — boxed in by tailgating traffic, surrounded by concrete, and shaded by rented tents on Memorial Day.
Now, city leaders want to spend millions to improve that experience. But their plan? Build an expensive shade structure over the Wall — and keep it exactly where it is.
A $6 Million Canopy in a Parking Lot?
According to budget records, the city has already spent $200,000 on design work for the project and now wants to allocate $2 million for construction in the upcoming budget. But here’s the kicker: the full cost estimate from the contractor Haskell is between $4 million and $6 million.
Where is the rest of that funding supposed to come from?
It’s a fair question — one City Council and taxpayers should be asking.
Meanwhile, the stadium itself is slated for massive renovations in the years ahead. That means construction zones, fencing, parking changes, and who-knows-what-else that could directly impact the Wall’s surroundings and accessibility. Are we really going to spend millions on a new structure that might be compromised or surrounded by cranes and construction noise within a year?
This plan is more patchwork than progress. And it’s a costly distraction from what Jacksonville veterans and families truly need.
A Parking Lot Is No Place for Reflection
Let’s be honest: no family wants to mourn their loved one’s sacrifice next to a stadium entrance. No veteran seeking quiet reflection wants to dodge football fans and exhaust fumes. The current site simply doesn’t honor the gravity of the wall’s purpose.
We can do better. And we should.
A Vision for a Veterans Memorial That Feels Right
Instead of building a high-dollar band-aid on top of a poor location, let’s relocate the Wall to a place that offers dignity, peace, and permanence. Several options make far more sense.
Option 1: The USS Orleck Veterans Tribute Park
The recently restored USS Orleck, a Navy destroyer museum, now sits on our downtown riverfront. Why not place the Wall nearby and build a proper Veterans Tribute Park that includes:
- Landscaped gardens, benches, and shaded walkways
- Historical displays and educational markers
- A ceremonial plaza for events and remembrances
- Ample public access year-round, without football traffic
Together, the Orleck and the Wall could form a powerful centerpiece of reflection, history, and honor.
Option 2: A City Park Sanctuary
Relocate the Wall to a beautiful, tranquil area like Memorial Park, the Northbank Riverwalk, or Friendship Fountain. These spaces already encourage contemplation and civic pride — and they could provide the quiet, respectful setting the Wall deserves.
Option 3: A Veterans Cultural Corridor
Designate an entire downtown corridor for veterans — connecting the Wall, the Orleck, veteran services, museums, and public space. It could become an immersive and meaningful destination for locals and visitors alike.
Let’s Spend Smarter — and With Heart
Instead of scrambling to fund a $6 million shade structure that may soon be surrounded by construction chaos, Jacksonville should hit pause.
Let’s use that money to build something lasting. Something beautiful. Something worthy of the lives etched in stone.
Let’s Show Real Honor
This isn’t about politics. It’s about priorities.
It’s about doing something tangible to show respect to those who gave everything. It’s about giving families a quiet place to remember — not another concrete slab dressed up with aluminum poles and LED lights.
We urge the City of Jacksonville to pause this project and open a serious conversation about relocating the Veterans Memorial Wall. Include veterans. Include Gold Star families. And include the public in imagining a space that’s worthy of their sacrifice.
Because Jacksonville doesn’t just owe them a monument.
We owe them honor.
Want to weigh in?
Share this article. Tag your City Council member. Attend budget hearings. Speak up at public meetings.
This is our city — and our veterans deserve a better place in it.
