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Veterans Park Conservancy (VPC) was founded in 1986. Its purpose is to protect, preserve, restore and enhance the property that was deeded to the federal government in 1888 by Arcadia Bandini de Baker and Senator John Percival Jones. By 1986, much of this property had fallen into disrepair.
This property has a unique national status. It has historically significant open green space, including a 16 acre memorial park that is located in the Home Branch Historic District. With the assistance of VPC, substantial protections have been put into place to ensure that this land is protected from commercialization. Every Master Planning effort for the property, including that of the recent CARES Advisory Panel, has recommended that this historic space remain as open green space. The West Los Angeles VAMC and the VPC have entered into a long-term agreement to develop a memorial park to make specific landscaping improvements that complement the therapeutic purposes of the Medical Center. The West Los Angeles VAMC maintains control and authority over the improvements. The West Los Angeles VAMC provides that the memorial park be open to restricted public access. The VPC and the West Los Angeles VAMC have partnered to use the WLA’s Compensated Work Therapy program, along with other programs, to integrate local veterans into the design, construction and maintenance of the land improvements.
In addition to its work to preserve the historic green space, VPC has raised significant private funds to restore the West Los Angeles VAMC-related properties. The VPC restored the Spanish American War Memorial on Wilshire Blvd. It replaced the chain-linked fencing surrounding the National Cemetery and the property at Wilshire and San Vicente Boulevards with stately wrought-iron fencing and pilasters and established the Veterans Parkway on Wilshire Blvd. It created a new entrance to the cemetery and a new plaza for the memorial park. It worked with Congress to rename the Chapel at the cemetery to honor Bob Hope and is renovating the Chapel.
VPC has raised millions of dollars to complete these projects. It will take millions of dollars more to finish and maintain the park. Those assisting VPC in its planning efforts range from its partner, the West Los Angeles VAMC, to the VPC’s Veterans Advisory Review Committee and one of the descendants of the original donors of the property, Carolina Winston Barrie.
For more information, please feel free to visit this website regularly.
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