Soldiers Memorial Field Park as potential historical landmark

(ABC 6 News)- The Heritage Preservation Commission met on Tuesday to discuss Soldiers Memorial Field Park’s historical significance and to hear from the public.

The park’s development first started back in 1926 but most of the structures and objects currently in the park weren’t built until closer to the 90’s.

While people agree that the park is a key part of the city, there are questions on whether it meets the eight-part criteria to be a historical landmark.

“For our existing program and the categories that we have, it does not have the historical integrity that matches with the historic significance, the criteria,” said Molly Patterson-Lundgren, Historical Preservation and Urban Design Coordinator.

For some, the fact that the park has been a major part of the community for so long is reason enough for it to be a claimed a historical landmark.

“I’d say it is a landmark already, it’ll just be official as a landmark and it’ll make the community happy that it is recognized for what is has been for a very long time,” said Barb Hudson.

The HPC is recommending to the city council, the park be designated as an historical landmark based on the criteria that it has remained the same, in terms of location, since it was first developed.

The city council will have final say but the date for the decision hasn’t been set.