City Council approves Miles Avenue Park location for memorials; design decisions head back to commissions

The Indio City Council approved plans Wednesday to locate both a 9/11 memorial and a new veterans memorial at Miles Avenue Park, with plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the 9/11 memorial on September 11.

Council members expressed support for the location recommended by the city’s Public Arts and Community Services Commissions but requested design refinements to improve positioning and ensure all military branches are represented.

“Some of these projects have been on ice for a long time,” Councilmember Waymond Fermon said. “I’m glad to see we’re moving forward.”

Councilmember Oscar Ortiz raised concerns about the veterans memorial’s proposed angle, noting that parked cars could appear in the background of photographs during events. He suggested either flipping the memorial’s orientation or moving it closer to palm trees near the Coachella Valley History Museum to provide a better backdrop for ceremonies.

Fermon praised the location choice, emphasizing its proximity to the History Museum and visibility from the road.

“It’s visible from the road. And for folks who want to come and pay homage to veterans, or just come into the park and hang out and see the great artwork is close to parking,” he said.

The council emphasized ensuring all military branches are represented, specifically mentioning the Space Force and National Guard. 

The recommendations came from a joint special meeting of the Public Arts and Community Services Commissions held Aug. 12, where commissioners reviewed location options within Miles Avenue Park. The council had previously identified the park as the preferred site for both memorials.

The 9/11 memorial will incorporate a steel beam artifact from the Twin Towers that the city has been in possession of for several years. The memorial’s design has already been approved, but the location was changed from the original site at the northeast corner of Jackson Street and Dr. Carreon Boulevard within the city’s Public Safety Campus.

For the veterans memorial, commissioners reviewed design examples from other cities and expressed preference for taller pillars featuring the seals of the military branches. 

City Manager Bryan Montgomery laid out the next steps and said staff would work with the commissions to address the positioning concerns and potentially provide renderings showing different configurations.

---