Plattsburgh Town completes first phase of veterans park

PLATTSBURGH TOWN, Vt. (WCAX) - The Town of Plattsburgh has wrapped up the first phase of its Battlefield Memorial Gateway, a park honoring North Country veterans past, present, and future.

The Town of Plattsburgh has wrapped up the first phase of its Battlefield Memorial Gateway, a park honoring North Country veterans past, present, and future.

Local leaders joined veterans Friday for the unveiling of the Purple Heart Trail at the Battlefield Memorial Gateway.

“We have sent veterans to every conflict for 247 years out of the North Country and I can not say enough about this park,” said John Rock with the American Legion, one of those who was instrumental in the project. “I am so happy and enthused about this. It is something I have personally waited for for a long time in the North Country.”

Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman says the trail will also connect the gateway to other local historic military landmarks. “To places like the Clinton County Historical Association, the Plattsburgh Air Force Base Museum, and the Old Post Cemetary. But it is also connected to the Empire State Trail in New York state, so this puts the BMG on a larger state map as well,” he said.

Cashman says work on phase two will start in January first and will take up to two years. “Things like the view deck for the Remembrance Plaza; working on the veterans’ area; working on the amphitheater; working on the children’s play area. This is a much longer phase but this is where the rubber meets the road,” he said.

Phase three will focus on revitalizing the former piers on Lake Champlain to eventually ferry people out to Crab Island. “I am hoping we can finally get to that final phase, because we still do have 50 American vets buried on that Island,” Rock said.

Officials say more donations are needed and that a future fundraising campaign will be announced over the winter.

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