The new Plaza will be located on the Mall in Downtown Brunswick, honoring veterans for their service. Contributed

BRUNSWICK — The Veterans Plaza Project recently received a $25,000 donation from Bowdoin College, pushing the project closer to its $250,000 goal.

“This is really unique thing,” Town Councilor David Watson, commander of project fiscal backer American Legion Post 20, said. “I have a feeling Bowdoin is reaching out to the community and that’s great. I’m happy to see the college coming back to the community orientation.”

The Veteran’s Monument, which currently faces the road, will be rotated 180 degrees to face the upcoming Veteran’s Plaza. Contributed / veteransplaza.info

The project, which had an original anticipated opening date in 2019, is now hoping to open on Veteran’s Day 2020 at the gathering place on the Mall.

Fundraising efforts include honor blocks, which cost $250 and can be dedicated to any veteran, regardless of their branch of service or state. Of the 320 blocks available, about 75 percent have been sponsored, according to David Knight, a member of the organizing committee.

The blocks will be placed in the center of the plaza around a medallion, designed by Richardson & Associates of Saco.

“Our goals are very high. Right now, with the increase in construction prices, we’re estimating the cost of the plaza to be $230,000,” Watson said. “We don’t know what the future is going to bring us as far as construction, and we’re also raising money for a perpetual maintenance fund.”

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He said the maintenance fund will be set in place to take care of the plaza in the instance of vandalism or general repairs and updates, to avoid a tax burden on residents.

“We are extremely grateful for Bowdoin College and our other donors,” Knight said. “The community has embraced this project because it salutes all veterans.”

There is a GoFundMe site for the plaza at www.veteransplaza.info/go-fund-me, where donations have reached almost $190,000 of the $250,000 projected overall goal, with donations coming from local residents and others outside Maine.

Knight said he is optimistic the organization will reach its fundraising goal by the end of the calendar year.

“We would love to have everything in place by the end of the year,” he said. “Our success is in the hands of our current and prospective donors. It’s full-speed ahead now.”

 

 


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