$200K In Funding Still Needed For County’s Veterans’ Memorial

CANTON—Construction on the Van Zandt Veteran’s Memorial Plaza could begin as early as February 2009, but more than $200,000 in funding is still needed for the project.

Currently the Veteran’s Memorial Committee has raised more than $120,000 and state contributions will total $168,000.

The one-acre park will be located at the corners of State Highways 19 and 64.

"The estimate on the project has gone up since the original estimate was put in to the state but there is just no additional funding that can be provided by the state," said Carter Clark of Carter Clark Engineering of Canton.

"The additional money will have to come from fund-raising. We have added some amenities to the original plan. We don’t want to cut back on the memorial," said Clark.

Clark said that the memorial is not just a Canton project.

"This is really a countywide project. This is for everyone," said Clark.

Clark said the committee will step up its fund-raising.

"We are going to start planning bigger fundraisers that can bring in more money at one time," said Clark.

Clark said there is a turkey shoot set for sometime in November and there may possibly be a fund-raising concert set at the upcoming expo in Canton in September.

He said plans for the plaza will be submitted to the state the first week in September. There will be a project bidding meeting on December 5, and a contractor should be selected by January 5.

"Normally work on these projects begins about 30 days after contractor selection but it could be up to 90 days," said Clark.

Anyone interested in making a donation to the memorial may call Red Montgomery at 903-363-2501.