Veterans hope to relocate Veterans Park
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The park directly across the street from the VFW is named Centennial, which for the folks across the street doesn't quite pass muster.
"Ideally, this is a place for Veterans Park," said veteran Marty McKnight.
That's because the current location of Veterans Park, two miles away at 18th and Boulder, doesn't quite pass muster either.
"Unfortunately with Veterans Park, and the state of Veterans Park where it collects water, we can’t bring our military vehicles in there for display," said Joshua Starks, Commander of the Tulsa VFW.
Add to that the existing military history of Centennial Park.
"This is our drill field that originally happened back in the 1920’s right here," said veteran Max Tankersley.
"It served as a way station for WWII veterans as they were coming across the country," said Starks.
The proposed compromise, renaming Centennial, Veterans-Centennial Park.
"We feel that it would be a great way to combine the community and the civilians with the veterans and the service and sacrifice that we’ve done,"" said Starks.
And one of the first things to possibly grace the park, a Gold Star Family Memorial monument.
"To remember the fallen soldiers," said David Rule. His father was a pilot instructor who died during the Korean war, with the loss nearly just as raw as it was over 60 years ago.
"I was six, my brother was seven, and I had a little sister four months old, so it turned your world upside down," he said.
Paying respect, the motive behind the monument and the move to change name.
"This is important to us as we’re all about tradition," said Tankersley.
"This has so much history to it when it comes veterans and soldiers already," said Starks.
