Politics & Government

City Awards Contract For Korean War Monument Wall

Granite etchings of scenes from the Korean War will flank the wall at Town Square Park.

A tribute to those who fought in the Korean War is expected to be unveiled Nov. 11 following the city of Murrieta's ninth annual Veterans Day parade.

Several veterans were present at Tuesday's City Council meeting, when a non-bid contract for the wall's granite etchings was approved.

It will take eight weeks for Cold Spring Granite Company out of Cold Spring, Minn., to design 261 square feet of granite into 19 transportable pieces. Etched in the granite will be scenes depicting the war. The stonework should arrive in time for the anticipated November unveiling.

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The Korean War monument wall, at a price tag of $58,598, is phase II of the city's Veterans Memorial at . It will accompany an existing World War II monument wall engraved by the same company, as well as an already standing 21-foot-high entry obelisk.

Once complete, the memorial site will feature seven individual walls of black granite to represent each conflict. An Honor Garden with seating is also part of the design.

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At a total cost of $2 million, $500,000 was put up by the city. The remaining funds are being raised through private donations and the sale of Honor Garden tiles. To date, $85,454 has been collected through donations and tile sales, and is being used for this next phase.

Council members agreed with staff recommendations to award the contract for the Korean War monument wall to the Minnesota company without going to bid, based on its specialized nature.

Holston said in phase I the city did bid out, and chose Cold Spring.

"That was top line construction, what we are doing is asking to continue with top line construction," said Assistant City Manager Jim Holston.

"This is a contractor that is used to building art of this type...we don't want someone who is learning," Holston said.

Council agreed that the level of detail and precision in the World War II monument wall was exceptional, and were confident the company could produce the same effect.

The company has supplied similar pieces for Camp Pendleton, Holston said.

"It's a specialized knowledge," said Councilman Rick Gibbs. "It would be hard for anyone else to take over and demonstrate satisfactorily that they know it well enough."

Gibbs said the Korean War, which took place from 1950-1953, after World War II and before the Vietnam War, is often thought of as the "forgotten war."

"We owe these veterans a debt of gratitude and Murrieta’s way of showing that debt of gratitude is with a quality Korean War wall," Gibbs said.

He also spoke of the educational value for the city's fifth-graders, who take field trips to the site.

"The purpose was not to glorify war, but to make them aware of how our country got into some of these situations, and the more we have a quality piece of art the better we can educate."


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