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Albi memorial
When the wrecking ball demolishes Joe Albi stadium, a veterans monument and a piece of Spokane’s history will be lost forever.
Spokane Memorial Stadium, built in 1950, was funded by citizens who had great civic pride for their veterans. Back then the ultimate sacrifice meant everything. The stadium was to be a lasting and useful monument to our precious fallen heroes as a PERMANENT memorial. This means nothing to most of our new generation.
It would have been easy to renovate Albi. A stunning courtyard with a beautiful veterans’ wall could have been added. Every fallen veteran from all wars past and present would have their names inscribed on it, from this state. Yearly dedications would add new honored names.
“Just because time has passed doesn’t mean the significance of their sacrifice has diminished, and when we as a city no longer honor that, we fail to walk into the future with a firm foundation to stand on, and to lead our communities by.” (Washington State Fallen Heroes Project, Gold Star Families)
Craig Gerlack
Spokane