Construction worth waiting for

Oak Street in North Aurora looks a lot like the rest of Kane County during what seems to be an endless construction season.

Both sides of the road are littered with gravel piles, pipes, saw horses and yellow Caterpillar Bobcats as the village has been busily working on storm sewer repairs and water main replacement along the street that connects Randall Road to Route 31.

Take a slight detour off Oak Street and turn on Willow Way near the library and you'll see more of the same debris. But further along off the road, along the green sod and newly planted trees, another team of construction workers are building something different.

The North Aurora Veterans Memorial will remain on a peaceful green area near Ed Kelley Memorial Park after the construction workers are finally gone.

Village President John Hansen had the idea to build a veteran's memorial in the village and formed a committee to work on the project three years ago.

Hansen was on hand just prior to Memorial Day in May when construction began at the site and he will be there on Veterans Day on Nov. 11 when the memorial is dedicated with a 21-gun salute by the Batavia VFW color guard.

Right now much of the memorial is wrapped under heavy plastic while the outer band of concrete is being poured.

The memorial has monuments to each of the five branches of military service and commemorative bricks inscribed with names of veterans purchased by residents to help fund the project.

North Aurora's management analyst Wes Kornowske is overseeing the realization of the committee's vision.

"Everything is pretty much almost done," Kornowske said. "We are pouring the outer band of concrete and the 59 brick pavers are ready to go in. We've had 10 more pavers ordered since North Aurora Days," he said.

Kornowske is waiting like everyone else to see how the fountain will work in real life.

"The water will sit on the fountain and cascade down all sides. It's like a living part of the memorial," he said.

"I'm ecstatic," Hansen said. "It's something we put together several years ago. We worked a long time coming to a design we can all afford and agree on. We are all proud of it."

Hansen's 27-year-old son Eric served in the early part of the Iraq War and is still on active duty based in North Carolina.

"We wanted to create a veterans memorial and eventually we'll have a nature pathway and educational area with plaques on the trees so families can see the memorial and learn about the nature and the trees, too," he said.

Kornowske and Hansen are both proud that the project is coming in under budget. Kornowske said that they cut a few thousand dollars in each phase and received donated time from the public works department. Other companies helped donate materials to get the project to come in at around $116,000.

Vietnam veteran Jim Davidson, 59, of North Aurora was on the committee. He saw an announcement in the newspaper for a veteran's memorial committee and he volunteered his time.

"I support anything that's done to recognize veterans," Davidson said. He said he helped arrange the display of the traveling Vietnam Wall to Aurora in 1989.

"It was very rewarding to do that and have it so well received in the area," he said. "I go to see it whenever it's nearby because I have so many friends' names on that wall."

Davidson's father served in World War II and Davidson said that he's getting a brick to honor his father's service.

Kornowske said plaques honoring all North Aurora residents who died while serving our country will be displayed at the memorial. He encourages area residents to contact the village if they have any information about deceased family members who should be honored.

The village has a slide show with photos of the memorial project on its Web site, www.vil.north-aurora.il.us.

For more information about purchasing bricks or commemorative coins to support the project stop by the offices at 25 E. State St. or call (630) 897-8228.