The first memorial to American soldiers killed or wounded in the Vietnam War dates back to April 20, 1966 when one was installed in Charlottesville’s McIntire Park.
Since that time, the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial has been on city land and remained in place even after the John Warner Parkway was built. The Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation was formally established in 2015 to advance the future of the site.
This year, Charlottesville City Council agreed to put $100,000 in the capital improvement program budget toward infrastructure to improve access to the site. Members of the foundation had asked for $1 million.
On May 5, 2025, Charlottesville’s parks and recreation director appeared before Council for the first reading of a new lease agreement that would for the first time formally lay out the foundation’s responsibilities to use the space.
“We do have [what] I like to call a loose agreement at the moment, but we really want to have an updated agreement,” Anthony said. “And that is why we’re here today to present an updated lease agreement so that it outlines maintenance and then also minor construction that happens on that site.”
One provision in the lease relates to future infrastructure. Section 9.a.ii has the subheading of Pedestrian Bridge Access.
“DVMF will engage with the City in good faith and take all reasonable action to allow and assist the City in the planning, construction, development, and approval of a pedestrian bridge, multi-use trail, and associated parking lot to provide improved/handicap public access to the Leased Premise,” reads the draft lease.
During the budget discussions, City Councilor Natalie Oschrin expressed her concern about a plan to build that bridge across the John Warner Parkway. Anthony said the language in the lease was about an existing pathway to an existing bridge to the west that crosses the railroad tracks. Oschrin said that was not clear.
“Since that’s not specified, I think that could easily be construed to be supportive of a new bridge,” Oschrin said. “And I don’t know if that’s something that we want to have in here if we’re not ready to commit to that yet.”
Oschrin suggested one solution to the access issue would be to just move the memorial.
Steve Friedman of the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation said that is not a desired option.
“Part of the reason we want this lease is to keep the memorial where it is now,” Friedman said. “We do not want to move the memorial.”
Friedman said the foundation does want to fundraise to eventually build a pedestrian bridge across the John Warner Parkway, but that’s a separate issue.
“It’s just mentioned in here as ongoing negotiations in good faith,” Friedman said.
If the Dogwood Vietnam Memorial Foundation raises the necessary funds to build a bridge, Council would have to approve that action. Oschrin said she hopes another way can be found to increase access without having to build the bridge and a new parking lot.
The vote to adopt the unanimous was 4 to 0. Charlottesville Mayor Juandiego Wade was in Ghana.
Before you go: An audio version of this story went out in the May 16, 2025 podcast edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement. It will be posted in the next written edition, too, but I needed to post it here so I could make a reference in the next Week Ahead. Is Town Crier Productions as confusing as it seems to those not involved with the production? Either way, you can learn more how to support the work by visiting here.
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