Richard Makuch and Gary Edie, speaking at a Common Council meeting, said the amphitheater would be disrespectful to fallen veterans.

“Everyone knows that’s sacred ground for veterans,” Makuch said. “This goes to show everyone that not only the mayor (Kate Wdowiasz) but the guy from Jamestown (city Planning and Development Director Vince DeJoy) don’t care about veterans.”

Edie said, “The sign at the memorial says to remember our fallen heroes. That’s what it’s there for. There are monuments to the disabled American veterans, to the Korean War, Vietnam, World War II, and many others.”

He said the objection is not to the amphitheater project itself, but to its planned site.

Richard Makuch speaks this week at Common Council.

Wdowiasz responded to the veterans later in the meeting, during her mayoral report time.

“Nothing is going to happen to the monuments that are inside Memorial Park,” she promised.

Wdowiasz pointed out the project is not funded through the Downtown Revitalization Initiative; rather, a separate state grant is covering it. The amphitheater was on the city’s list of preferred DRI projects, but the state chose not to fund it there.

“We have a couple big surprises with this on the horizon,” the mayor stated. “We’ll be happy to announce those at the next economic development meeting.”

“We’re still working on the details of exactly all these elements that will be part of this amphitheater — the welcome center, restrooms, storage, and so forth,” said DeJoy, later in the meeting. He was responding to a question from Councilwoman Natalie Luczkowiak.

“It’s all part of a larger project, that we’re looking to improve Memorial Park,” DeJoy added. City planners want to shore up the Lake Erie wall; improve trails, lighting and railings; and add security cameras, he said.