City of Kyle breaks ground on Heroes Memorial Park

KYLE, TEXAS – On Memorial Day 2021, the City of Kyle held a groundbreaking for Heroes Memorial Park.

Over 400 community members attended the groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the initiation of the highly anticipated park dedicated to honoring local veterans and first responders.

The Groundbreaking ceremony featured remarks by Mayor Pro Tem Rick Koch, Mayor Travis Mitchell, Kyle VFW Post 12058 incoming Commander Ben Courtney, Central Texas AMVETS Post 115 Post Commander Kerman Hammond, and Texas Disposal Systems COO/CFO Tom Mistler as well as a Procession by the Honor Guard and Boy Scout Troop 105 and Packs 105 and 812, a performance of the National Anthem by Ron Ulen of Texas State University’s School of Music and Wallace Middle School Choir Director Kelly Reyes, and a warbird flyover by the Commemorative Air Force Central Texas Wing. Girl Scout Troop 44809 helped set up memorial flags prior to the ceremony. 

During his remarks at the groundbreaking, Mayor Mitchell spoke about the journey and partnerships that have been involved in taking Heroes Memorial Park from an idea to reality.

“It starts with inspiration — you cannot build a park unless you are inspired and the Council that I was elected into was inspired and the Council that took that historic vote was inspired, and the Council that sits here today remains inspired,” Mayor Travis said. “But we are not the only ones, there are many groups here, our veterans groups here, the Kyle VFW, the Kyle AMVETS, the Kyle Police Department, and other community members, have worked very hard over the last several years to create this moment that we are all experiencing together. To everyone that has worked on this — and to so many more that cannot be counted — thank you. Thank you for bringing this vision for Kyle, for our veterans, for our heroes, for our first responders, into reality.”

Throughout the groundbreaking, the City of Kyle also conducted interviews of local veterans and residents that will be archived and buried in a time capsule at Heroes Memorial Park.

The grounds of the Heroes Memorial Park are adjacent to the Hays CISD Performing Arts Center, at the corner of FM 1626 and Kohlers Crossing.

The memorial will be an educational, reflective, and celebratory public space that will provide a variety of activities and experiences for all ages as well as serve as a prominent gateway into the community.

As a part of the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #2, for the Uptown Area of Plum Creek that was established in 2018, the City of Kyle approved a Strategic Framework Plan to guide funding decisions within the district and identified a Heroes Memorial as a priority in 2020.

The Heroes Memorial Park has been made possible by the generous donation of Texas Disposal Systems and with the leadership and direction of Kyle City Council and Kyle TIRZ #2 Board members.

The video of the full groundbreaking ceremony can be viewed on the City of Kyle YouTube channel. For more information about the Heroes Memorial Park, go to CityofKyle.com/Heroes.