WOODSIDE — The World War I memorial in Doughboy Park is set to get a $750,000 overhaul, city officials announced Wednesday.
The money, allocated from the City Council's Fiscal Year 2018 budget, will be used to restore the infantryman statue and renovate the plaza area that surrounds it, both of which have not been upgraded since 1990 and 2001, respectively.
"Doughboy Park is a sacred place in the heart of Woodside," City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said in a statement announcing the renovation plans. "This is a victory for our veterans and for all who will enjoy the added beauty and amenities of this great park."
The Parks Department does not yet have a timeline for when the renovation will take place. The allocation of funding is the first step in the process, which will later include community scoping meetings to help come up with specific designs.
The war memorial — located on Woodside Avenue and 56th Street — is often used for local Memorial Day ceremonies and other veterans' events.
In 2013, a group of local volunteers used their own money to touch up the plaza, painting it a bright green color, only to have the Parks Department paint parts of it back because the city didn't pre-approve the vibrant hue. Most of the vivid green paint remains, however.
The memorial statue in the center of the plaza, which depicts an injured soldier, was erected in 1923. A stone plaque was added in 2007 bearing the names of 13 servicemen from Woodside who were killed during WWI, according to the Parks Department's website.
