OC Veterans Cemetery Still Languishes In Site Selection

IRVINE, CA — The Orange County grand jury Tuesday recommended that Irvine and Orange County officials pick a site for a veterans cemetery by year's end. On the same day, in Sacramento, the State Veteran's Affairs Committee voted 5-0 to approve a bill designating a site in Orange County Great Park as the location for the Southern California Veteran's Memorial Park and Cemetery.

"It is clear that an Orange County Veteran's Cemetery is essential, as many veterans and their family's needs are not being met by the existing Veteran's Cemeteries," said Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva. "We need a site for the Southern California Veteran's Cemetery that will serve and recognize the many Californians who made great sacrifices for this nation."

Where to put the much-needed veteran's cemetery has been a source of much contention, with supporters lobbying between a spot in Great Park versus Gypsum Canyon.

Though the veterans affairs committee has selected Great Park, Orange County supervisors endorsed a site on donated land in Gypsum Canyon near the Riverside (91) Freeway and Foothill Toll Road.

"There is no known opposition to the use of the Gypsum Canyon property as a veterans cemetery from the Anaheim City Council, Orange County veterans groups" or the cemetery district, the grand jury found.

This month, $20 million was allocated in the state budget for a site in Irvine.

That site "will reduce potential tax income for the city of Irvine compared to other proposed sites," the grand jury found.

"In the city of Irvine, competing for political and financial interests have caused delays in veterans cemetery site selection," the grand jury found.

The Veterans Cemetery in Los Angeles is full, and there's a long wait for veterans in the Riverside Veterans Cemetery.

The grand jury recommended that by Nov. 30 the Irvine City Council decide "which, if any, site within its borders to pursue a veterans cemetery. Site selection efforts should validate the cost and valuation information."

Also, by the same date, the Orange County Cemetery District, Board of Supervisors and Anaheim officials "should decide whether to pursue developing both a public cemetery and veterans cemetery on the Gypsum Canyon site."

The grand jury recommended that "a joint city of Irvine and (cemetery district committee) should be established that includes a representative of the board of supervisors to determine which of the respective sites will be endorsed."

In Sacramento, the authors of the legislation AB 368 spoke on behalf of moving forward in Great Park.

"The sacrifices made by our brave veteran men and women from Orange County should be recognized in Orange County. That simple goal, to provide a proper and respectful resting place for our community's heroes, is the paramount charge of these efforts," said Senator Tom Umberg. "Cooperation with veteran organizations, city residents, and local government, is important, and I would urge all parties to join the state's efforts in bringing this memorial to fruition for all the heroes of Orange County. Let's build this memorial."

Though the Supes have yet to set a date for the next discussion, the bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.

City News Service, Patch editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report