101°F
weather icon Clear

Veterans cemetery expansion expected

The Southern Nevada Veterans’ Cemetery in Boulder City could be getting a $5.78 million federal grant to help pay for a 7-acre expansion needed at the facility.

According to the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, the cemetery expansion is expected to be one of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ 12 “conforming projects” in fiscal year 2022.

“The VA grant opportunity for up to $5,780,000 will help expand 7 acres at (the) Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, located in the southwest portion of the property in the open desert behind where the current burial sections stop,” said Terri Hendry, communications director for the Nevada Department of Veterans Services. “The state of Nevada has already set aside $607,271 in state matching funds for the project.”

The cemetery is expected to need extra space by 2023.

Currently, the planned expansion includes 12 columbarium walls with 5,376 niches and seven burial sections with 11,481 in-ground cremation plots.

“We can’t thank our VA partners enough for recognizing the importance of this expansion,” said Gov. Steve Sisolak in a press release. “With this VA grant opportunity, we are one step closer to ensuring we are able to keep the promise made to our Southern Nevada veterans that they will be provided with a dignified and honorable final resting place when their time comes.”

The design phase is expected to begin in January or February with construction expected to start in November 2022.

“Thank you to our governor and state legislators for supporting us by making sure we had the required state match in place to make us eligible and competitive to receive this funding,” said Kat Miller, director of the Nevada Department of Veterans Services, in a press release. “The Southern Nevada Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery is the second busiest cemetery of its kind in the nation and this funding makes sure we are able to keep up with the demand when our services are needed.”

The cemetery expansion is one of 100 projects placed on the Veteran Affairs’ priority list for fiscal year 2022. Of those 100, 43 were fully conforming projects, and the Veterans Affairs office said 12 projects were expected to be funded. The remaining 57 are termed nonconforming because they lack the required state legislation or matching funds to be eligible for federal funding.

The cemetery on Veterans Memorial Drive has 79 acres of land owned and maintained by the state.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
Council parks parking proposal

In the end it was a case of sound and fury signifying nothing. At least not until June 10.

Council outlaws camping, sleeping in public

“A growing number of individuals are occupying public space across the valley and in cities all over the nation — including Boulder City — and are storing personal property and belongings in public places in a manner that causes concern and creates a public nuisance.”

A look at swim team’s state success

Continuing their tradition of being the gold standard of boys high school swimming in the 3A classification, Boulder City added on to its prestigious pedigree on May 17, successfully capturing their third consecutive state championship.

Honoring heroes

Photos by Ron Eland/Boulder City Review

City does U-turn on parking

Last week, the city posted on its social media outlets an invitation to the public to attend an open house May 19 to discuss its plans for parking along Nevada Way between Wyoming and Arizona streets. The plan called for parking in the center of the street.

Memorial Day events set for cemetery

The Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery will again host a ceremony to honor those who have lost their lives in service for the country whether it was during times of peace or wartime.

Robotics team scales high in 2025

The Boulder City High School High Scalers robotics team (AKA Team 3009) recently wrapped up another winning campaign with some big awards.