Indio approves design and budget for veterans memorial at Miles Avenue Park

The memorial will feature seven illuminated pillars representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces — the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Space Force.

The Indio City Council on Wednesday approved the design and a $500,000 budget for a veterans memorial at Miles Avenue Park, clearing the final hurdle for a project that will give the city’s growing veteran community a permanent place to gather and be recognized.

The memorial, to be built at the south end of Miles Avenue Park near the parking lot, will feature seven illuminated pillars representing each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces — the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Space Force — arranged in a curved layout around a central flagpole.

“This is something that’s been on deck for a long time,” Mayor Pro Tem Waymond Fermon said. “I’m looking forward to not only the groundbreaking, but when we do the ribbon cutting and we have our veterans come out and be part of that, because that’s going to be special.”

The memorial is designed to be ADA-compliant, with a walkway providing direct access from the parking area. Each pillar will display the official seal of its respective military branch and will be lit from below for visibility during evening hours. Benches will flank the central flagpole, and landscaping and floral elements will frame the space.

The location was chosen in part for its proximity to the city’s planned 9/11 Memorial, which incorporates a steel beam artifact from the World Trade Center. City officials have said placing the two memorials near each other was intentional, to create a connection between the commemorative spaces.

“It’s really gonna benefit Miles Park,” Councilmember Ben Guitron said. “Besides the 911 Memorial, besides the dog park, the open space for additional soccer space is just, it’s just gonna take you to that level,” he said of the other improvements coming to the area.

The $500,000 budget will be funded by $350,000 redirected from the Jackie Cochran Dog Park capital project budget and $150,000 from the City Manager’s Contingency Fund. The contract was awarded to Best Signs, which submitted a bid of $451,651 — the lowest of three proposals received.