Springdale Veterans Memorial Design Competition

The Springdale Veterans Memorial Organization (SVMO) is pleased to announce a competition to secure a design for a memorial to the American veterans of all wars. The memorial will be located in Springdale, Arkansas. The sponsor of the competition is the Springdale Veterans Memorial Organization, a non-profit foundation.

The competition is open to amateur and professional designers, established and emerging designers. College or high school students studying architecture, art, design or similar career interest, are also encouraged to enter.

For those of us that have been in the military, it is sometimes difficult to express our deep sense of pride and what we consider, our warfighter ethos or spirit. This is a kindred spirit that we share with other veterans that may not have shared our exact experiences, but we are bonded together with a special connection through our common struggles in earning the title of Airman, Soldier, Seaman, Marine, Seal, Ranger, or others. With that pride, however, comes a great deal of humility as we all eventually must leave the military that has trained us to be aggressive, assertive and proud; and return to civilian life assuming other careers. Our common training teaches us that greatness is not about us as individuals. Rather it is about us a unit, as a team, as a group, as a community, as a city, as a county, as a state, as a nation. This is why we have come together as a group to foster a cause for our community that not only memorializes the greatness of the past but will symbolize the greatness of our community into the future. This effort is not about those of us involved, rather it is about our community and its future. Memorials are more complicated than just a monument with a plaque. Memorials generate a multitude of different emotions, memories, symbols and meanings for individuals whether they served or not. It is our vision to establish such a memorial that will further enhance the appearance of JB Hunt Park, increase its draw, function and utility for our community year-round. We wish to see a dedicated site that will provide our community a prominent, inspirational and befitting space to gather and express our pride, our patriotism, our greatness as a community and our hopes for the future. We seek a memorial with a uniqueness unto its own that will inspire not only the citizenry of Springdale but inspire others to travel and seek out our proud city. We seek a memorial that will have both a commemorative and an educational function, honoring those that gave their all for the American idea and reminding the living of past sacrifices given to achieve and maintain the American idea of freedom and hope for the future.

The purpose of the Springdale Veterans Memorial is to recognize and honor those who serve. It should provide a symbol of acknowledgement of the courage, sacrifice, and devotion to duty of those who were among the nation’s finest whose service embodied values and ideals prized by this nation since its inception. The memorial should stand as a symbol of our city’s appreciation for the sacrifices of those who served our nation, expressing respect and gratitude. The memorial should be reflective and contemplative in character. The leadership of Springdale’s City Council has given this veteran memorial effort overwhelming endorsement offering this parcel of land at JB Hunt Park for consideration in its establishment. The site for the memorial was chosen by the Springdale Veterans Memorial Board of Directors both for its prominence in a growing area of the city and for its proximity to highly trafficked areas of the city. The vision is to establish a prominent and artistic veterans memorial in a befitting setting that will further enhance the appearance of JB Hunt Park, its attraction and draw, its function and utility for our community on a year-round basis. The memorial is being financed by public contributions.