Submitted by David C. Wold
I see on the town calendar that Historical District Commission has scheduled a site visit* to the triangle in front of the old main Post Office this Tuesday, March 11 at 11:15am in connection with an application to dedicate it as “Veterans Memorial Park” and unveil a new illuminated water fountain and statue of President George H.W. Bush.
I find the dedication of the limited area rather disrespectful to the remaining Veterans who are honored there on Memorial Day each year.
This triangular area surrounds the monument dedicated to the Greenwich residents who fought in World War I. (I believe it was intentional not to mention those who served and did return versus the ones who did not return – and likely why Col. R. C. Bolling is placed across the street.)
There is currently no reference in this triangular area to any other Wars that citizens from Greenwich fought in during this Nation’s 250 years of existence.
Any area dedicated “Veterans Memorial Park” should include the area across the street where a tree and plaque in memory of Civil War Veterans (dedicated 111 years ago) are located, and further up on same side of Greenwich Ave, include the World War II monument (ended 80 years ago), Korean War (75 years since officially sent American troops) and Vietnam War (50 years Anniversary going on) Veterans Monument.
Further I feel that if any part of Downtown Greenwich should be dedicated Veterans Memorial Park, it should feature a monument/plaque of our Revolutionary War Veterans.
As for a statue of President G.W. Bush, I can only say he was born after WWI , served in WWII with honors, was further very involved in establishing South Korea as democratic country, and, of course with his son in Air National Guard during Vietnam War.
Bush’s place in Veterans Memorial Park should be next to the men who are mentioned that did not make it home during his life time, not standing in front of WWI monument with a massive granite tablet behind him and two lanes of traffic separating him from the ‘boys’ he knew from Greenwich who never made it home.
*Greenwich Historic District Commission.
Notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 11:15AM, a site visit will be held by the Historic District Commission of the Town of Greenwich to walk and observe the present site of Veteran Memorial Park, a/k/a 0 Greenwich Avenue, in Central Greenwich, with the applicant’s landscape architect and representatives of the owner of the said property as required by Connecticut General Statute Chapter 97a, Section 7-147a through 7-147y. A statue of President George H.W. Bush and a fountain have been proposed to be installed at the extreme northerly pinnacle of the triangular piece of town land. Any member of the public is invited to attend this meeting. Please contact the secretary of the Historic District Commission, Andrew R. Melillo, with any comments or questions at [email protected]