A new park will soon serve as a community gathering place and location to honor and remember veterans in Hobbs. The park’s approval was received at the April 5th meeting of the City Commission, reversing an earlier vote in February during which it was rejected. Those voting in favor of the park changed their vote based on the improving economic outlook of the city and the reduction in the park’s build cost to $1,079,456.
The Hobbs Veterans Memorial Park will be built at the World War II Hobbs Army Airfield near the entrance to Harry McAdams Park. Per acting City Manager and Fire Chief Manny Gomez, the park is intended to provide a place for the community to honor veterans and heal from the duress of war, to provide education about those who have served and what their roles were, and to serve as a place for appropriate community celebrations and parades.
The initial committee to discuss and develop the park was created in 2018, with MRWM Landscape Architects hired in 2019 to design the park itself. $600,000 was allocated to the park upon the establishment of the committee.
The decision to approve the park was made easier by a $300,000 award from the Lea County Commission in March. The funds will help offset the cost of the project and ensure that construction can begin in a timely manner.
During the February presentation to the City Commission, Gomez gave special commendation to Robert Lujan, a veteran of the Vietnam War, for his work in advocating for the park in support of all area veterans despite occasional setbacks. Other members of the Veterans Memorial Park committee are General Services Director Sheila Baker, veteran and Senior Affairs Coordinator Angela Courter, and Commissioners Roy Penick and Christopher Mills, both of whom are also veterans.
Among the features that the park could exhibit include an F-105 fighter jet used during the Vietnam War. The jet was located by Hobbs native and former U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce; it will be delivered at no cost to the city.
