Installation of the final granite stones set in place at the Veterans Memorial over the weekend.

By Robert Souza

CASTRO VALLEY FORUM

Veterans Day will have a special meaning for those in Castro Valley who served in the Armed Forces when the new Veterans Memorial Park is dedicated at the Castro Valley Community Park Sunday morning.

“We are excited! There is not a single person in our group who does not say ‘wow’ when they see the park,” beamed Jim Uhlik of the Veterans of Former Wars Post #9601 who was one of many volunteers who worked years to get  the memorial built.

The memorial will be a permanent tribute to the military men and women who have served in the Army, Navy, Marines, Merchant Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.

Scheduled for the dedication are displays of veterans memorabilia, patriotic music performed by the Hayward Municipal Band and a grand dedication by retired Army Colonel and BART Director John McPartland. There will also be a 27-passenger “limousine bus” to shuttle people from the park to the CVHS parking lots.

The $195,000 memorial positioned at a corner of the park facing Quali Ave. has six benches for each of the armed forces with 99 names of service members on each. There are also 750 engraved name bricks surrounding the park.

Uhlik said he couldn’t believe that the collection of construction materials delivered to the site could have such an impact when construction was completed.

“Before it was just concrete, but when the bricks with names go in it all of it starts talking to you and becomes reality,” he said.

The site, at 18988 Lake Chabot Road, will be open to visitors at 9 a.m. on Sunday. The dedication ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. and will include a U.S. Air Force flyover.

Visit www.cvvm.info for more information on the memorial and how you can still sponsor a bench name or engraved brick.