Villarrica council unanimously adopts resolution establishing Veterans Memorial Park

Villarrica Mayor Leslie McPherson and the City Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Sept. 9 establishing a Veterans Memorial Park to be located at the site shown in the council exhibit and maintained “as a place of honor, remembrance, and reflection.”
The resolution, introduced during the council’s regular meeting, says the park will “serve as a tribute to all veterans of The United States Armed Forces” and authorizes the city to enter agreements with local veterans to permit monuments, markers or educational features in the park. The measure passed by unanimous voice vote.
The park was previewed earlier in the meeting during public comment by combat veteran John Hannebeck, who thanked “the administration, the council for their support of our veterans group in trying to obtain some land on which to construct a Villarrica Veterans Memorial Park.” Hannebeck told council members he and other veterans “anticipate building a very, good park to represent Villarrica.”
Mayor McPherson read the resolution onto the public record and called for a motion; a council member moved to adopt and a second was given before the council voted. After the vote the mayor announced the outcome as unanimous.
Veterans and city staff were invited forward for a photo following the resolution’s adoption. Council and speakers repeatedly emphasized the park will honor all branches of the armed forces and that the design will not include heavy military hardware; Hannebeck said, “We will not have any cannons. We will not have any tanks, or any such artifacts, in the park.”
Council did not set a construction timeline or a specific funding source during the meeting; the resolution directs the city to enter agreements with local veterans groups to establish monuments and educational features and to maintain the site.
City staff and veterans present indicated additional design and fundraising work will follow; council did not take separate budgetary action or award a construction contract during the meeting.