*see updated story, more photos on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger

Veterans Memorial Park Transformation in High Gear

By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The transformation of the Veterans Memorial Park is in high gear.
Monday the Putnam Highway Department dug out the new walkways for the park.
Highway Superintendent Travis Sirrine said the space for the new walkways is 7 feet. The walkway will be prepped with gravel and forms will be installed for 5-foot sidewalks to be poured, leaving a foot on each side for the installation of irrigation, etc.
The conduits for the lighting are already installed and the wires will be pulled through shortly. There will be lamp poles and lights illuminating the monuments and the flag.
All of the electrical work for the project is being done by electrical students at Harvard H. Ellis Tech. The students are on spring break this week and will return to work on the project next week.
Everything to do with the walkways and concrete will be performed by the masonry students from Ellis, according to Robert Challinor Jr. He said they will form, pour and finish the concrete. He added there will be a 5-foot pad around the new flagpole and the engraved pavers being sold by the town’s Veteran’s Advisory Committee will fill in around that. Eventually the pavers will encircle the flagpole. He estimated about 500 pavers have already been ordered and “we will continue to order them as orders come in.” He added “ideally we’d like to install pavers every year,” much like CT State Community College: Quinebaug Valley does.
The ramp around the end of the river side of the white vinyl fence is on the back burner.
Challinor said eight monuments will stand in the park: WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Beirut, Desert Storm, Operating Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The town already has some, some have been ordered and some will be ordered.
The new flagpole, like the one recently installed at the Grove Street Monument, was purchased at a reduced price, thanks to Fiberoptics Technology Inc. in Pomfret. He said Barnes Concrete donated the concrete for the project. Modern Lumber donated the lumber needed for the project.
And there are many sponsors, Challinor said.
Including the cost of all the monuments, he said the total cost might come to $150,000. Various groups including the Legion and VFW have been hosting fund-raisers to help.
Sirrine said when the work is completed loam will be spread and grass planted. “Medallion” signs for the branches of service, for the vinyl fence, and the sign for the corner of Bridge and Church streets are already to go.


caption, page 1:

Town crews April 15 dug out for the new walkways. They're measuring --- the space measures 7 feet. Five feet for the sidewalk and a foot on each side for irrigation, etc. More photos on page 4. Expanded photo array on Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

captions, page 4:

Blue tape marks where the medallions of the six branches of service will go.

The gray "pipes" sticking up are the conduits for the electrical wiring.