WINDSOR, CT — A proposal to build a Vietnam War memorial on the Windsor Town Green is moving forward after receiving unanimous support from a Town Council committee.
The Town Improvements Committee voted 3-0 Wednesday to recommend the project and a $22,000 town contribution. The full Town Council must still authorize the location and funding.
The granite monument would recognize all Windsor residents who served during the Vietnam War. The small wooden plaque currently displayed inside Town Hall honors the nine Windsor residents who died in the conflict.
A preliminary design includes the words, "In honor of those from Windsor who served" and "In memory of those who fell." The monument would stand about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide on a 4-foot base, according to the committee's meeting materials.
Windsor resident and Vietnam veteran Don Heath has spent about nine months working with the Windsor Area Veterans' Council on the proposal, design and estimated cost.
The recommended site is on the northern portion of the Town Green, near Windsor's existing memorials honoring those who served in World War I and World War II. A stone or brick plaza would surround the monument.
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The monument and installation are expected to cost about $20,000, including a contingency. Site preparation and the surrounding hard surface are estimated at another $8,000, bringing the preliminary project cost to $28,000.
Under the plan endorsed Wednesday, Windsor would provide $22,000 from its General Fund Unassigned Fund Balance, along with assistance from town employees. The Veterans' Council would raise the remaining money through community donations and contributions from area businesses.
A presentation included in the meeting packet says the memorial would "honor our local veterans and preserve their legacy" while giving residents a place for remembrance, education and discussion about the war's lasting impact.
The presentation notes that the Vietnam War ended more than five decades ago. Windsor's World War I memorial was erected in 1920, while its World War II memorial followed in 1950.
Thirty Connecticut towns already have Vietnam memorials, according to the presentation.
No committee member voted against the proposal Wednesday.
If the location and funding receive Town Council approval by Nov. 2, town officials hope to have the memorial installed by mid-May 2027. The Town Planning and Zoning Commission would also have to review the project before installation.
For more Northern Connecticut news, follow Patch editor Jay Kenney.
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