ENCINITAS, CA ?EUR??,,????'??? The Veterans Memorial in Cottonwood Creek Park opened in early December at the busy intersection of Vulcan Avenue and Encinitas Boulevard. Veterans asked for a place that would be dignified but not too solemn, where they could contemplate but also gather for events that will get them away from cemeteries or office buildings, he said. The U.S., California and MIA/POW flags will fly over the memorial. One plaque will list contributors; another has the inscription: "Dedicated to all those who served in the armed forces of our country. May we never forget their unselfish devotion to the cause of our freedom." Designed by Cardiff landscape architect Michael Clark, the memorial includes natural stone walls of various heights to sit on or admire. The main wall appears to crumble at the sides with no clean ends. "Both ends of the wall are left unfinished to represent the unfinished lives of those who have perished in the line of duty," Clark said. When all his friends left for Vietnam, Clark had to stay behind due to a physical problem, he said. He donated his design to honor those who did go, he said. For Clark it was a three-year process, but for the Veteran?EUR??,,????'???s Association it took 10 years to get off the ground. They had to decide who would design the memorial and what they wanted to say. Funding came from the city of Encinitas. ?EUR??,,????'??Initially we got input from World War II and Korean War vets, but it took a while to get the funding,?EUR??,,????'?? said Clark. ?EUR??,,????'??There?EUR??,,????'???s also a big gap between Viet Nam and Desert Storm vets, so for a time, there weren?EUR??,,????'???t too many people involved in the process.?EUR??,,????'?? Clark listened to dozens of veterans and got their abstract thoughts and tried to create a design for the memorial. ?EUR??,,????'??What ended up there in the park is stunningly close to my vision,?EUR??,,????'?? said Clark. ?EUR??,,????'??The lines are simple. There?EUR??,,????'???s not a lot of intricacy there. The waving line represents the waving flag. It?EUR??,,????'???s not a busy design, but there?EUR??,,????'???s lots of symbolism in the structure.?EUR??,,????'?? A water feature with a monolith represents an individual, with a low circulating pump bringing out the tears. The wall represents the masses with each stone as a face of someone in the past, present or future who could stand in harm?EUR??,,????'???s way. Masons installed the stones to create a dry stacked effect. A block and rebar core gives hope the memorial will last several centuries. The memorial is part of the city-funded $4 million project to create Cottonwood Creek Park. Because the park was built on a former dump site, getting rid of the contamination such as asbestos was a major concern. ?EUR??,,????'??Old cars and trucks were found at the site,?EUR??,,????'?? said Clark. ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s pretty amazing that we were able to build a park here at a dump site from the turn of the 20th Century.?EUR??,,????'?? The city settled on an 8-acre neighborhood park with tennis and basketball courts, picnic areas, a children's play structure and a restored Cottonwood Creek, which was buried in underground pipes years ago. The creek will be restored to ground level by the time the park opens next summer. Throughout all the years of planning for the park, hundreds of local veterans met regularly to make sure their project was not forgotten and fit in with whatever the park ended up being, said Cris Hicks, who coordinated the effort with husband Bill Hicks, a Vietnam veteran. ?EUR??,,????'??All my friends paid their service to this country,?EUR??,,????'?? said Clark. ?EUR??,,????'??I didn?EUR??,,????'???t get a chance to serve in Viet Nam, so this was my way of contributing to the cause.?EUR??,,????'?? Encinitas Veterans Memorial is located in Cottonwood Creek Park at the corner of Encinitas Boulevard and Vulcan Avenue. The location was chosen was chosen for its prominence and visibility, said Clark. The city council found it most beneficial to set aside a place with its own definition: a singular event where they could say what they wanted to say. It was dedicated on Pearl Harbor Day. The plaque on the right reads "City of Encinitas, VETERANS MEMORIAL, Dedicated December 7, 2003, Mayor Jerome Stocks, Deputy Mayor Maggie Houlihan, Council Member James Bond, Council Member Dan Dalager, Council Member Christy Guerin, Memorial Design Michael Ames Clark, Project Architect Schmidt Design Group, Inc." Members of the local American Legion Post and the local Veterans of Foreign Wars have labored for years to procure the Memorial. City Council members, current and past have worked to obtain funding to provide the construction and provide the land. It is indeed the finest addition to a city, Encinitas, already of great worth. May it serve to remind us and future generations that freedom is not free. Photos courtesy of Bob Kluter