The Parks Issue of Landscape Architect & Specifier News saw many firms submit their projects for feature consideration. This project was not chosen for a Feature in the issue, but we at LandscapeArchitect.com thought the project deserved to be showcased online . . .

Looking out over the Fox River, Veterans Serenity Park is a quiet place of reflection among the bustle of downtown Oswego, Illinois. Back in 2017, the local Veterans Committee collaborated with Schoppe Design & Associates, the Oswegoland Park Foundation, and the Oswegoland Park District to develop a new memorial park dedicated to active military, veterans, and their families. The Park District supplied the land and Schoppe drafted a conceptual design. The Veterans Committee and Park Foundation worked tirelessly to fundraise, gathering volunteers and donations. The park was completed two years later, and a grand opening for the grassroots movement was held on Veterans Day 2019.

 

At the entrance to the park, stacked limestone monoliths jut out of the ground. Along winding clay paver paths, there are five sitting areas, each with a bench and bronze placard dedicated to the branches of the military. Limestone slab bridges with steel cable handrails bypass a dry creek bed that weaves among the walkways. Soothing sounds of running water can be heard in the distance. Around the last curve, a natural stone fountain is surrounded by small trees, shrubs, and perennials. Embedded at the center behind one of the waterfalls is an eternal flame fed by a gas line, symbolizing those who had served and died in war. There are plenty of opportunities throughout the memorial for sitting, and mature trees provide shade for a comfortable experience.

This project would not have been possible without the volunteers who stepped up and the donations that were collected. A donor wall of a Kensington Blend Stone with a precast concrete cap was constructed in early 2024 at the park entrance. Engraved, stainless-steel plaques mounted to the wall display the many contributors that made the park possible. Memorial benches and tribute bricks honoring past and present service personnel are available for individual purchase.

The goal of the project was to provide a serene place of solitude for those seeking refuge among a mix of natural and fabricated stone softened by lush landscaping that fits in nicely next to the Fox River.

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