Elgin selling commemorative bricks for Veterans Memorial

Work on Elgin's long-awaited Veterans Memorial is moving at a steady clip, and residents who want to leave their mark on the project now have an outlet.

The city is selling commemorative bricks to help raise money for a future expansion.

"The primary purpose is to commemorate veterans," said Jack Cook, chairman of the city's Veterans Memorial Park Committee. "The money raised will be used to promote the second phase."

The bricks measure 4 inches by 8 inches and may contain three lines of text up to 20 characters each.

Tommy Schmidt, the Vietnow representative on the memorial committee, said bricks must be to honor a veteran and have room for the person's name, service branch and conflict or war served in.

"This is what it's all about," he said. "Elgin has never had a veterans park."

Each brick is $50; residents also may opt to plant a tree with a commemorative brick for $250 or dedicate a bench for $500.

For details, call (847) 931-5924 or visit cityofelgin.org.

The $746,000, city-funded project is being erected just north of the Gail Borden Public Library.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Nov. 11, 2007. Construction began in late spring.

To the east will be a wall with room to honor the four major armed service branches and two others along with flag poles. To the west will be a solitary flagpole near the river.

Earlier this year, officials scaled back the design because the original site, a former city public works location also north of the library, was polluted with oil and other contaminants.

So the new site is about 5,000 square feet, but the committee has plans to add a gazebo and more paths near the river in coming years.

The commemorative bricks will line a walkway at the memorial and will be available even after the project is done.

Steve Hendrickson, vice president of the Elgin-based Shales McNutt Construction, which was hired by the city, said the project should be completed by the end of October in time for a Nov. 11 dedication ceremony.

Hendrickson said work was not delayed by the recent floods and is on budget.

"Everything is running very smoothly," he said. "Things are going well. It's a great team effort between us, the city and the veterans committee."

Cook, like many veterans and their families, is looking forward to completion.

"I've been there almost every day. I think it's great. Of course, it's not complete yet," he said. "It will be ready. It's not in a pristine state (now), but it will be by Nov. 11."