Office of Governor Gary Locke
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 18, 1997
Contact:  Governor's Communications Office, 360-902-4136

Locke lauds new plan for World War II memorial

OLYMPIA — At a meeting today of the State Capitol Committee Gov. Gary Locke and Lt. Gov. Brad Owen approved a plan for a new memorial on the state capitol campus that will commemorate the service and sacrifice of the veterans who served in World War II.

The agreement on a new plan for the memorial resolves the problems that had stalled the project for many months. Under the new plan, the memorial will be sited about 40 feet east of the originally proposed site in order to protect the sight lines to the Capitol Building's dome. The plan approves the design submitted, but directs the Capitol Campus Design Advisory Committee to consider ways of reducing the height and length of the memorial without compromising the design's integrity.

Controversy over the location had stalled fundraising and other efforts to help complete the project. Soon after taking office as governor, Locke indicated his strong desire to resolve the dispute and get the memorial completed as soon as possible. Locke and Owen, both elected to their current offices last November, are new members of the State Capitol Committee, which is charged with deciding on plans for the memorial.

Surrounded by veterans and their families, Locke underlined his commitment to the project in a meeting at his office today. "While we should not glorify war, we have a fundamental obligation to recognize the men and women who served this country and made tremendous sacrifices for our freedom and our democracy," he said. "I'm pleased to support this new plan because it will enable veterans to resume fundraising and allow other work that must be done to complete the memorial."

Locke also said the issue touches his own family, since his father is a World War II veteran. James Locke took part in the Normandy invasion in 1944.

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