Memorial Grove at Van Cortlandt Park

About

The Van Cortlandt Park Memorial Grove was installed in 1949 to commemorate soldiers from our Bronx neighborhood who served in WW II and the Korean War. The Grove was established with plaques memorializing the fallen soldiers from our neighborhood.

Description

The Memorial Grove was originally established with thirty-nine plaques planted at the base of thirty-nine trees. These plaques memorialized the thirty-nine fallen soldiers from our neighborhood.

Due to vandalism and poor maintenance, less than half of the original thirty-nine commemorative plaques remain intact. When our Group was first founded, the Memorial Grove was littered and the landscape was in disarray. This left the Memorial Grove unrecognizable and in no condition to honor our fallen soldiers. Although our Group has effected some change - removal of trash and installation of a perimeter fence – much more needs to be accomplished.

Our mission is to restore the Memorial Grove to its original condition. We are working with our local politicians and the NYC Parks Department to allocate funds that are needed for a total restoration of the Grove. We have received commitment from Councilman G. Oliver Koppell for $250,000 to cover the restoration of the grounds. Although this is a great start, funding is still needed to restore the actual monuments.

The Group has been successful in raising awareness among our local politicians and has been fortunate to be recognized with news coverage by the Riverdale Press, the Riverdale Review, Bronx Channel 12 and WCBS News Channel 2.


You Can Help

You can help by dialing 311 to complain about the existing, deplorable conditions. When you file this complaint, you will be assigned a complaint number which you should email to the Group ([email protected]). The Group will log these complaints to be used as leverage with the Parks Department and our politicians.

Mission

The Memorial Grove Restoration Group was founded in 2006 to raise funding that is needed to maintain the Memorial Grove and properly honor the fallen soldiers from our neighborhood.

On November 12, 2007, the Group held our first Veterans Day Ceremony at the Memorial Grove. It was well attended by our neighbors with a high-level of participation from many local organizations, politicians and Parks Department representatives. With your support and the support of the Parks Department, we will continue organizing ceremonies each future Veterans Day.

"Memorial Grove was originally planted as a living tribute to the local servicemen who lost their lives while fighting for their country. Designed in 1949 by the Parks Department and the Peter G. Lehman Post No. 8646 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the grove honored the men who fought in World War II. A variety of oak trees including northern red, scarlet, and pin oaks were planted to give shade and create a tranquil area for reflective contemplation. The oak tree is a common symbol of strength and endurance and was fittingly used to honor the memory of those men serving in the wars."