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UNC Charlotte Opens Park Dedicated To Veterans

Memorial Wall at UNC Charlotte's New Veterans Park
Michael Falero
/
WFAE
Memorial Wall at UNC Charlotte's New Veterans Park

UNC Charlotte unveiled a new park dedicated to veterans on its campus Monday. The idea came from a UNC Charlotte alumnus who is a veteran.

A trumpet played before the dedication of the Veterans Park. It sits next to the university’s Army ROTC building, and features a wall representing each military branch. The project has taken three years to complete, a collaboration between university administrators and UNC Charlotte’s Student Veterans’ Association.

Staff Sergeant Chris Orr
Credit Michael Falero / WFAE
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WFAE
Staff Sergeant Chris Orr

Chris Orr, a former U.S. Army staff sergeant, graduated from UNC Charlotte in 2018. The park was originally his idea while he was still a student, and he helped design it. He described his hopes for the new park.

"A place that veterans – and non-veterans – can just come and remember," Orr said. "If they need to stop by and they’re thinking of a loved one, they can come, sit, hang out, reflect. If they want to bring a laptop and study for however long between classes. Just a safe place that people can come to and enjoy and remember."

UNC Charlotte administrators want the park to serve as a reminder of the university’s origins as an evening school that served veterans returning from World War II. The university also has a growing student veteran population, with a 10% increase in students using the GI Bill to attend in the past two years. 

The brand new Veterans Park at UNC Charlotte
Credit Michael Falero / WFAE
/
WFAE
The brand new Veterans Park at UNC Charlotte

Michael Falero is a radio reporter, currently covering voting and the 2020 election. He previously covered environment and energy for WFAE. Before joining WFAE in 2019, Michael worked as a producer for a number of local news podcasts based in Charlotte and Boston. He's a graduate of the Transom Story Workshop intensive on Cape Cod and UNC Chapel Hill.