Yucaipa's Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park, the forgotten park on Memorial Day
Letter to the Editor:
By Dan and Fanny D'Amelio
YUCAIPA Over the past five years, four thousand American military men and women have died in Iraq and thousands have come home permanently maimed. How are we in Yucaipa honoring their sacrifice?
Are we having a Memorial Day ceremony at Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park?
Unfortunately, we are not. Instead, we are having the ceremony at our city's community park, where there is no veterans memorial.
The entrance to Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park is at Fremont St. and Yucaipa Blvd, and the park's memorial is at the far end of the park. The memorial was constructed by a Yucaipa Marine veteran and city constable, Jim Martines.
At the memorial, concrete steps lead you up to a high, columned arch , which bears the insignias of each of the armed forces.
The arch opens to a large area that is lined by trees, and facing you is a long, curved wall with a bronze plaque containing the names of the men from this community who were killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. There are also three bronze ground tablets near the entrance to the park to commemorate those missing in action.
Located at the highest point in Yucaipa, with a panoramic view of the city, this veterans memorial is one of the most beautiful in the Inland Empire.
Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies used to be held on California Street. But, through the urgings of Fanny D'Amelio, Helen Ruggles and Betty Martines, Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies were held at Flag Hill for the first time in 2000.
The ceremonies again were held at Flag Hill in 2001, 2002 and 2003, with increasing community attendance. The attendance, in fact, reached more than 300, which was a far larger number than when the ceremonies were held on California Street
In 2004, the city spent $380,000 renovating Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park, and in the process, unfortunately, landscaped over the handicap parking near the memorial.
And it was in that year that the Veterans Day ceremonies were held instead at the Community Park, where they have been held since.
But there is sufficient parking available at Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park and at nearby streets for Veterans and Memorial Day ceremonies to be held there. Golf carts could be made available for the handicapped for the one-minute ride to the memorial area.
It is regrettable that Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies are not being held where they should be: at Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park.
However, since the decision has been made to have the ceremonies at the Community Park, we ask that all of us on Memorial Day go to Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park and, at least momentarily, pay our respects to those who sacrifice so much for our nation.
Dan and Fanny D'Amelio
12151 Fremont St. #54
(909) 790-4219
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I was born and raised here in Yucaipa. I remember my parents always taking us (all nine of us) to the park for picnics and family time. We loved that park! Somewhere we have a picture of us sitting on the cannon.
Yes I think they should move the ceremonies back to Flag Hill park. My concern would be parking. If 300 plus people attend, where oh where would they park? Yes there are side streets, but would this be safe? Let people know how to get to the park and let them go on their own. Yes it would be great to have the ceremonies held their once again, but at what cost to the safety of the people of our community.
Hi Pam,
Good comment Pam. I've lived near the park since 1979, and took my kids to play there when they were young. It indeed is a beautiful little park. As far as holding veterans' ceremonies, I wish they could hold at least one event a year there. Parking for most events probably would be a problem, but from covering many veterans events locally, not many people attend, primarily the older veterans - Korea and WWII, with some Vietnam vets. There are about 49 parking stalls inside the park. But walking the grade up to the veterans area may be hard for some older people. As a veteran myself, it's kind of sad that veterans' ceremonies aren't held at a park named as a veterans park.
Thanks for the comment,
Bob Otto