Veterans Memorial Plaza to Open April 25

Posted On: March 31, 2025

In a meaningful tribute to local veterans, the Volusia County Council will host a grand opening ceremony for the $1.4 million Veterans Memorial Plaza at 9 a.m. Friday, April 25, on the northwest corner of the Tom Staed Veterans Memorial Bridge in Daytona Beach. The plaza is the final phase of Volusia County’s memorial to veterans along the Halifax River.

The ceremony will include a rousing celebration of veterans, along with music, refreshments, and speeches by local veterans and dignitaries. Free parking will be available at the Steven C. Henderson Judicial Center, 125 E. Orange Ave., Daytona Beach. RSVP by contacting Pat Kuehn at pkuehn@volusia.org or 386-748-3989.

The riverfront plaza will provide a dedicated location where residents and visitors can memorialize and honor the valiant men and women who lost their lives while defending our freedom. It will also serve as a site for local veterans groups and other organizations to host ceremonies and celebrations.

Features include flags representing the six branches of the U.S. Military, a World War I memorial, and a six-foot fire monument with the names of Volusia County residents who died in the line of duty.

Residents may honor their loved ones with on-site engraved bricks, which are available for donations of $125 or $300. More than 150 orders have been processed, and the bricks will debut at the grand opening. Additional bricks are available. Learn more at https://donate.brickmarkers.com/volusia.

“We owe an incredible debt to the men and women who have served in the U.S. Military,” said County Manager George Recktenwald. “This memorial will be a lasting tribute to their service and sacrifice.”

The grand opening follows years of planning, fundraising, and working with local veterans groups. Founding visionary and benefactor Josh Wagner spearheaded the project with help from county staff, elected officials, volunteers, and personal donors.

“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,” Wagner said. “The bridge was completed in 2020, and now we’re about to open the plaza. Our dream has come true.”

The project was funded through private donations from Veterans Memorial Plaza Inc. and these individual donations:

• 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 Sherri Lloyd, Cici and Hyatt Brown, the France Family, Connie and Glenn Ritchey, and Forough and Mori Hosseini, each of whom donated at least $10,000

Two or more Volusia County Council members plan to attend the event. Their presence and participation may constitute a public meeting for purposes of Florida Statutes Section 286.011. For more information, call the County Manager’s Office at 386-736-5920.