OTISFIELD – A memorial to war veterans has been erected in the center of the Otisfield Community Garden at the Otisfield Elementary School.

“I just liked an oval shape,” explained Principal Linda Park of the granite stone monument that anchors the hillside community garden she designed.

The monument was constructed by Richard Maguire & Son, and a friend of the son, several weeks ago. It will be dedicated in early September after school reopens, Park said.

Students have been planting carnations, lily of the valley and other flowers at the monument, which is seen from the road through one of several grape arbors that parents built at the garden.

The community garden has continued to expand over the past year to the point where there is no more room to grow.

“It just began to build momentum,” said Park of the project that started with several raised vegetable gardens at the front of the school that have expanded into a communitywide garden of several acres with greenhouses, arbors, vegetables, fruit trees and flowers. Many of the raised garden boxes have been adopted by community members and organizations.

It has been supported by about $27,000 in private and public donations. A small portion of that amount was used to construct the veterans memorial.

Project planners say the garden is designed to have school children and other people in the community work together for a sustainable planet, to promote healthy communities and provide vegetables to low income individuals, contribute the preserving open space, provide access to it, and create a recreational and therapeutic opportunities for the community.