Project to create 60-acre landscape

Project to create 60-acre landscape
By Danny Bernardini/ DBernardini@TheReporter.com
Posted: 05/03/2009

The normal silence and stillness of the veterans' cemetery near Dixon has been replaced with the sounds of heavy machinery moving dirt as part of a major makeover.

As part of an $18 million expansion to the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, the flat and barren land is being transformed into a 60-acre, beautifully landscaped area that will eventually house more than 25,000 fallen veterans and family members.

Since the cemetery opened in October of 2006, only a small portion of the 561-acres the federal government owns has been occupied. Before construction started, only a few portable buildings, an area for services and around 4,500 grave sites occupied 14 acres on Midway Road.

For Dean Moline, director, things are starting to come together and the anticipation is obvious as he showed off an artist's rendering of the buildings and trees that will eventually be there.

"I arrived here three years ago and there was nothing," Moline said. "It's been an exciting transformation."

With a little imagination, and Moline pointing out what will be, the piles of dirt and shells of what will eventually be buildings take shape. Parts of the front gate are installed. As are several flag poles lining the road that will eventually fly flags donated by the families of fallen soldiers.

Some of the 8,000 columbarium niches -- which will house cremated remains -- stand today. So do the beginnings of two committal service shelters, where memorial services will take place.

The administration building -- scheduled to be completed by late summer -- sits next to the beginnings of the assembly area, which will overlook the large pond. Surrounded by a memorial walk where people can buy personalized benches, the area will be able to host large crowds for Memorial and Veterans Day celebrations.

"It's a place for veterans and their families to reflect," Moline said.

He said most folks have been understanding of the work as it takes place in the background. Moline said closing the cemetery while the work went on wasn't an option, because of those families that would have had to wait for a service.

"Most families completely understand. They like the picture," he said.