Veterans approve of Elgin memorial design update

A group of veterans has signed off on an updated design of the Elgin Veterans Memorial.

"It isn't exactly what we wanted, but because of the two constraints of time and money, we wanted to move ahead," said Jack Cook, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Committee, which has been working with the city to make the project a reality by Nov. 11 -- Veterans Day.

"We're gratified that something is being done. Something will be accomplished," Cook said.

Hoffman Estates resident Mark Christoper Cundiff won a city-sponsored contest in 2006 to design the memorial.

Cook said he spoke with Cundiff, who said he was "satisfied" with the revised design.

The original site, a former city public works location also north of the library, was polluted with oil and other contaminants and had to be cleaned up under direction from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

So the memorial, which has a budget of about $750,000, has moved slightly. The location is only about 5,000 square feet.

Cook stressed that the project was just the first phase of the memorial.

He said additional phases could include an archway and gazebos and other improvements along the Fox River.

The latter phase would require a bevy of permits from the state and other agencies and the committee wanted to hit the November deadline instead of waiting until Memorial Day 2009.

"This committee isn't going to stop functioning just because the first phase is constructed," Cook said.

City spokeswoman Sue Olafson said the next step is for the design to go before the city council for approval on April 9.

Officials said they hope to break ground on the project by May.

Mark Underwood, project manager at the Hitchcock Design Group, which was hired by the city to retool the design, could not immediately be reached Thursday.