By RYAN LANCASTER
Staff Reporter
Major work is wrapping up at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery just west of Medical Lake in advance of a Memorial Day dedication May 31.
The cemetery broke ground last Memorial Day on 120 acres near Espanola and Ritchey roads, funded in large part by an $8.8 million federal grant. Administrative, maintenance and other buildings are now in place, with most landscaping and paving expected to be near completion by the one-year deadline.
Cemetery director Richard Cesler said a few items are still being ironed out; however, including whether Spokane County is willing and able to repair nearby roads in time for an expected influx of 30,000 cars a year. “West Espanola Road is in disarray; it was pretty much broken up before we ever got started out here,” he said, “With the amount of traffic we're anticipating, that road will be a gravel road in a very short amount of time.”
Spokane County engineering administrator Pat Harper said a meeting is scheduled this week to take a look at what the county might do to help but added that, as with any private development project, any major road improvements should have been built into the plans of developers.
“Obviously we want to work together but asking the local taxpayers to put up all the money for this isn't fair,” he said. “Some of the improvements should have been there with the federal stimulus dollars.”
Another unresolved detail is an agreement with the city of Medical Lake to allow the cemetery to draw reclaimed water from West Medical Lake for irrigation. Cesler said the city isn't budging on their price of $1.25 per thousand gallons of reclaimed water, which is higher than his budget allows.
Medical Lake City Administrator Doug Ross stood firm on the city's reclaimed water fee, saying it is more expensive to produce reclaimed water than potable water and the price is equivalent to what local schools are charged for field irrigation.
The cemetery will ultimately have to pay whatever is asked if they want green grass, Cesler said, but he'd like to see more interagency collaboration. “This cemetery will drive people into the community, which supports the county and the cities around here,” he said. “All we're looking for is a little partnership.”
First interments will begin on June 7 at the cemetery, which has an initial capacity for 10,700 and an eventual capacity of 70,000. At this point the remains of more than 200 veterans or spouses of veterans are scheduled for burial, Cesler said.
The Memorial Day dedication ceremony is expected to bring in anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 visitors, including Gov. Chris Gregoire and other dignitaries. Shuttle service has been arranged to bus attendees to and from off-site parking at Northern Quest Casino, Medical Lake High School and Denny's Foods, and golf carts will provide access at the site for the elderly and disabled.
More than 200 volunteers have already pledged to help out but Cesler said others are needed to assist people getting in and out of buses and to provide direction. Anyone interested in volunteering must attend a “dress-rehearsal” starting at 9 a.m. on May 26.
Donations are being sought to help fund items for the event, such as portable restrooms, bottled water and sun visors, as well as items for the cemetery itself. Cesler said contributions ranging from garrison flags to cash are greatly needed, helping purchase items left un-funded by grants that are nearly depleted at this point.
“This is not a state financed project. It's all federal grants and there's not a lot of extra money for extra things,” Cesler said. “This cemetery simply cannot function without volunteers, without community support and without donations.”
For details on the Memorial Day dedication ceremony or volunteer/donation information call 244-8351 or e-mail [email protected].
Ryan Lancaster can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)