Memorial Day decorations, (Brian Neben, Central Nebraska Today)
GRAND ISLAND – The Hall County Board of Commissioners want to buy approximately 26 acres of land north of the Veterans Cemetery at Webb Road and Capital Avenue for future expansion of the cemetery.
The Commissioners want to buy the land from the city of Grand Island, and the land would be leased to the Veterans Club for a long period of time.
Don Shuda, Hall County Veterans Service Officer, said that work on improvements to the cemetery is proceeding and should be completed in the spring of 2025. Several features will be added at the cemetery site.
First, there would be a 40-foot tower with four to five clocks at the top of the tower. At the entrance to the cemetery, there would be a statue of a soldier kneeling with a folded flag, ready to make a flag presentation. Finally, there would be an eagle statue close to the intersection of Capital Avenue and Webb Road.
Hall County Commissioner Pam Lancaster said the Veterans Cemetery will be a “mini Arlington Cemetery.”
Commissioners voted 7-0 to send a letter to the city indicating the county’s interest in purchasing the land. If the county purchases the land and leases it to the Veterans Club, the land would continue to be used for agricultural purposes to generate revenue, and would be turned into cemetery land at the appropriate time.
“This is going to be amazing,” Lancaster said. “This will be a site to behold.”
