Veterans cemetery expanding

MEDICAL LAKE – The state Department of Veterans Affairs has secured a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grant to expand the Washington State Veterans Cemetery.

The grant, totaling $4,153,953, will pay for improvements to the site.

"This grant marks a major milestone for our team and the community, symbolizing our unwavering commitment to honoring our veterans," state Veterans Affairs Director David Puente said. "The expansion will ensure that the Washington State Veterans Cemetery continues to provide a dignified final resting place for those who have served our country."

The funds will be used to construct columbaria, upgrade signage, build a pedestrian stairway and construct a service road for maintenance vehicles. Columbaria houses cremated remains.

Additional improvements will include upgrades to irrigation pumps, landscaping and other supporting infrastructure.

The project will cover approximately 1 acre and will add 5,120 columbarium niches, increasing the cemetery's capacity for cremation interments.

Located about 2 miles northwest of downtown, the cemetery sits on 119 acres off West Espanola Road.

The new development will extend the cemetery's capacity by approximately 10 years, providing space for veterans in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho, state officials said.

"This expansion is part of our phased master plan to incrementally grow the cemetery to meet the needs of our veterans," State Veterans Cemetery Director Rudy Lopez said. "We plan to begin initial earthwork and concrete construction this fall, allowing the concrete to cure over the winter, with completion expected in 2025."

Cemetery operations and interment scheduling will not be impacted by the construction, he said, noting this will be the fourth expansion in the cemetery's development plan.

The cemetery was constructed in 2009. The state was responsible for purchasing the land, while a federal grant paid for construction costs and equipment.

The cemetery is maintained and operated with funds from the sale of Armed Forces license plates.