War Memorial Name and Location Set, Design Yet to Come, Says Sykesville Committee

An ad hoc committee, led by Council President Frank Robert Jr., met at the Town House of Sykesville Monday night to discuss the Sykesville Military Memorial.

A total of nine designs, submitted from boy scouts to professionals, were reviewed, and the location as well as the name of the memorial was agreed upon.

During the meeting it was discussed that all branches of the military should be represented. In addition, brickwork was agreed to be essential to the design as it will be the source of revenue for the project. The committee proposed selling bricks to people who would like to dedicate one in honor of those who have served in the military.

Following discussion of the designs, it was proposed that the Maryland Institute of Art be contacted to determine if their students would be interested in submitting a proposal that incorporated aspects of the nine designs the committee favored, such as boulder and star ideas.

“The rock is a symbolic gesture,” stated Irma Bast, town treasurer. “They [the military] defend us like rocks.”

When discussing the name of the memorial, one community member stated, “A veterans' memorial would be honoring those who have served but would not be honoring people who are currently in the military.”

“If we can’t use the terms ‘war’, ‘defense’ or ‘veterans,’ why don’t we call it a military memorial?” asked another community member.

The committee agreed upon the name: Sykesville Military Memorial.

The Sykesville Town House was decided to be the site of the memorial, beating out two other ideas, including Little Sykes Railroad and Centennial Fountain.

It was agreed that the terrace next to the townhouse would be the ideal location as it overlooks main street Sykesville.

“The logical place is the town house,” stated Matthew H. Candland, town manager of Sykesville. “[You] should put a memorial in an area that will be in the public’s trust forever.”