Cherry blossoms will beautify Veterans Memorial Park to honor veterans and military members

In an effort to beautify Veterans Memorial Park in Calverton, Riverhead Town is establishing a program to allow people to purchase a cherry blossom tree and marker for the park in honor of an armed services member.

The town would plant a six-foot tall cherry blossom tree and place a 12- by 6-inch granite slab with the name of the veteran at the foot of each tree, according to Council Member Ken Rothwell, Town Board liaison to the Riverhead Veterans Advisory Committee. 

Rothwell said the program would be open to both residents of the town and non-residents and cost $675, which covers the purchase of the tree, the marker and the installation of the marker. 

“I think it’s really a great project. I think it’s going to help beautify the town parks,” Rothwell said during last week’s Town Board work session. “Because we’re always on limited funding, we are asking for the public to come forward and honor your veteran.” 

The new program could be approved by the Town Board as soon as May 7.

He said the idea came from the Veterans Advisory Committee as a way of both honoring local veterans and beautifying the park, which is undergoing changes with the addition of a hockey rink, paintball field and a new parking lot. The park is an “ideal location, right across the street from Calverton National Cemetery,” he said. 

The town has selected cherry trees that bloom at the end of May to coincide with Memorial Day weekend, Rothwell said. Once the trees are planted, Rothwell said the town could perhaps have a “cherry blossom festival” at the park in years to come.

Rothwell likened the program to the “Hometown Heroes” banner project, which he said has been “absolutely an incredible success.”

“I think it’s great for the environment — planting trees is always great,” Council Member Denise Merrifield said. “And the fact that you are picking a tree that will bloom around Memorial Day is fantastic.”