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Harahan dedicates Park of Heroes to 16 local service members
Summary
Harahan on April 25 dedicated the Park of Heroes, honoring 16 residents who died in U.S. conflicts. Local officials, international consuls and veterans groups attended; organizers cited an America in Bloom grant (with CN/Canadian National Railway) for landscaping and the governor issued a Harahan Heroes Day proclamation.
HARAHAN, La. — Harahan dedicated the Park of Heroes on April 25, honoring 16 residents who died serving in U.S. conflicts from World War II to Iraq.
Mayor Tim Baudier, joined by local, state and international officials, led the ceremony that included a prayer, music from the World War II Museum victory bells, the reading of all 16 names and a ribbon-cutting. "This is a a great honor," Baudier said, thanking project partners and volunteers who worked on the four-year project.
The dedication drew international representation: the consul generals of Canada, Belgium and France spoke about shared history and sacrifice, and military delegations from allied nations attended. Colonel Pete Crean of the National World War II Museum delivered the keynote and highlighted the park's dual purpose: remembrance and everyday public use. "The track around it is exactly a quarter of a mile," Crean said, describing the site as both a place for reflection and for community activity.
Laura Kunkel, executive director of America in Bloom, said the city received a competitive America in Bloom grant administered in partnership with Canadian National Railway that funded landscaping around the memorial. "We only award 10 grants every year," Kunkel said, explaining why the committee selected Harahan's application.
Austin Battle, representing Governor Landry, presented a proclamation designating April 25, 2025, as Harahan Heroes Day in Louisiana in recognition of the memorial and the families gathered. The program also included remarks from veterans' organizations and international embassy representatives who urged continued remembrance.
Organizers asked families and veterans to gather at the memorial for a ribbon-cutting; a reception followed in the gym. The ceremony emphasized local stewardship of history and the project's educational aims — organizers said they designed the park to be ADA compliant and to provide interpretive material for future visitors.
While the ceremony focused on honoring the fallen and thanking funders and volunteers, speakers also tied the dedication to broader themes of international partnership, civic engagement and passing memory to younger generations. Attendees were invited to visit a temporary exhibit, "The Beginning of the End: The Battle of the Bulge," described by one consul general as part of keeping these stories alive.
