The Wall That Heals Vietnam Veterans Memorial Replica and Mobile Education Center is coming to Great Bend’s Veterans Memorial Park May 11-14. This is a massive undertaking that will take an enormous effort from City of Great Bend staff, Community Coordinator Christina Hayes said.
Approval for this cooperation is on the agenda when the City Council meets Tuesday night.
“This event is a week-long experience from Tuesday through Sunday,” Hayes said. “Special thanks from the VVMF (Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund) Committee to City Council for allowing staff to help with this event. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Great Bend and we plan to put our best foot forward during the process.”
On the agenda for authorization are: The use of Al Burns Field (the exhibit’s staging area) May 8 through May 14 (the exhibit is open to the public May 11-14) for 24 hours each day; closing Main Street to allow a parade escort on May 8 or 9 for no more than one hour (time will be determined by the VVMF); and granting assistance from Park Department, Police Department, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and Public Works Department to ensure the VVMF’s needs are met.
Hayes said hosts are required to meet the needs of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of visitors for 24-hours each day “no matter the weather, crowds or other needs.”
Larry Parsons and his family have secured funding from the Dorothy Morrison Foundation and the Great Bend Foundation to bring this here, Hayes said.
She said the Park Department is helping with logistics and site coordination. Public Lands Director Scott Keeler is the lead to help with general ground needs, location maintenance, electrical service, restrooms, water and plumbing.
Hayes is in charge of media and publicity to help with marketing through newspaper, radio, TV, social media, promotional graphics and more. She will also be the liaison with media.
Why the accommodations?
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Committee is requesting permission for these needs because:
• Extended Park hours are needed to keep the wall open 24 hours a day to allow all citizens to visit the wall at any time. Vandalism may be a concern, so Hayes will be signing up volunteers to help with security.
The Police Department will also do extra patrols around the area while the wall is here.
• Extra electricity is needed since the mobile education trailer requires a 220-volt hook-up and the lighting on the wall requires a 110 volt hook-up.
• The Park Department has agreed to provide asphalt shavings on walkway by the batting cage in case it gets muddy, also to help protect the field for wheelchairs and accessibility if it gets rainy.
The Park Department has also agreed to offer covers for sponsorship signs and to help keep car lights from interfering with the display, and help locate and set up several tents for visitor information, volunteers and refreshments.
They are also coordinating with the Great Bend Recreation Commission and USD 428 to ensure there are no sporting events in the area that would disrupt the required solitude while the wall is in place.
• The Park Department agreed to contact Wheatland Electric to take out backlights to meet the needs of the event lighting.
• The American Legion Riders and the Patriot Guard will escort the VVMF truck and trailer to Great Bend from a staging area several miles away. The committee would like to have Barton County Sheriff’s Office and Great Bend Police Department officers escort them once in town to Veterans Memorial Park. Some assistance may be needed to make certain 90-degree turns, and the route has not been determined.
• The parade may require involvement from the BCSO, the GBPD and the Kansas Department of Transportation. Staff will provide updates and timelines as soon as they are available.
• Parking at Veterans Park may be an Issue, so the VVMF suggested the parking lot area the striped to allow for more organized parking.
