Volusia County Breaks Ground on Veterans Memorial Plaza

Posted On: June 21, 2024

Volusia County broke ground on the Veterans Memorial Plaza on June 20, marking a significant milestone in honoring the valiant men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending freedom and democracy around the world.

The plaza, which will be constructed on the northwest corner of the Tom Staed Veterans Memorial Bridge in Daytona Beach, is expected to open by the end of the year. It will feature amphitheater seating, a six-foot fire monument with plaques engraved with the names of Volusia County residents who died in the line of duty, and plaques representing the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces next to each flag.

The Veterans Memorial Plaza will provide a centralized location where residents and visitors can memorialize and honor veterans of all wars. It will also serve as a site for local veterans groups to host military ceremonies and celebrations.

“When I brought up the idea of building the Veterans Memorial Bridge and Plaza in 2010, I was committed to making sure all aspects for the project were followed through,” said former County Council Member Josh Wagner, who spearheaded the project. “With the help of county staff, elected officials, volunteers, and personal donors, we were able to build the bridge and are now building the plaza to its full design specifications as well. Our dream is coming true.”

The $1.2 million project is funded through a collaboration of resources including private donations from Veterans Memorial Plaza Inc. and $48,400 from Volusia County’s General Fund. Key contributions were made by:

• Volusia ECHO: $600,000
• Daytona Beach Racing and Recreation Facilities District: $388,020
• Joshua Wagner: $101,000
• Rotary Club of Daytona Beach, Dr. David Lloyd, Robert and Sherry Lloyd, Cici and Hyatt Brown, the France Family, Connie and Glenn Ritchey, and Forough and Mori Hosseini, each of whom donated $10,000 or more

Design for the project was completed by Dredging and Marine Consultants, and construction will be completed by MGN Contracting.

Honor a Loved One with a Personalized Brick

Personalized bricks to be engraved with veterans' names for placement at the front of the plaza are available for purchase. A 4-inch by 8-inch brick is $125, and the donation for an 8-inch by 8-inch brick is $300. Learn more at www.VolusiaVeterans.com.