A 51-acre park that features numerous monuments and statues along with a 2,000-seat amphitheater, Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park in Arcadia, Wisconsin, honors American statesmen and members of the armed forces who have served the country in times of war. Far more expansive than single memorials that similarly honor veterans of multiple wars, the Park became a reality thanks to the support from a pillar of the community which has in turn enabled countless benefits to and for that same community.
A Vision From Ronald G. Wanek
In 1989, the town of Arcadia purchased 54 acres of land for a park, but exactly what that would look like wasn’t established. That desire allowed Ronald G. Wanek, Chairman of Ashley Furniture Industries Inc., to create a vision for what would become Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park.
Wanek is well known in the community and in the furniture industry. He took Ashley from being a modest manufacturer of occasional tables to the largest furniture manufacturer in the world and the second-largest retailer in the United States. That success allowed him to become a pillar of the community and make various donations through the Ronald and Joyce Wanek Foundation.
The biggest and most notable of those donations is Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park, where Wanek, his wife and foundation are the lead benefactors. It’s one of the reasons that a memorial to Wanek stands off to the side of the Millennial Amphitheater, illustrating what it can mean for the benefactors of such monuments to become part of them.
By creating a vision for a monument that would honor veterans of so many different conflicts, Wanek has been able to enable a legacy that has done something much more for the surrounding community. Much of that impact is the result of the experiences that visitors can have at the Park.
From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror
The centerpiece of Memorial Park is the Soldier’s Walk, which serves as a tribute to American statesmen and members of the armed forces who have served the United States in times of war. It begins at the visitor center, with statues of George Washington and Andrew Jackson. The first part of the memorial covers the period in the nation’s history prior to the founding of Arcadia.
From there, monuments and statues that honor veterans and individuals from a variety of wars and conflicts are showcased. More than 20 monuments are stationed along this walk ranging from the Revolutionary War to the Korean War to a memorial centered on the War on Terror that features twisted steel from one of the World Trade Center Towers. Additionally, buried in the Walk are many facts on the origin and history of Arcadia, etched in gray granite stones.
After passing the Lion’s Pavilion, viewers can then walk up to the top of Millennium Amphitheater, which features the General’s Outlook, where viewers can look down and onto the amphitheater and the Soldier’s Walk. Statues to generals such as Douglas McArthur and Ike Eisenhower are at the general’s outlook, along with some military hardware pieces. A tank, two Howitzers and F-16 Jet Fighter can all be seen across the Park.
The area behind the main stage of the amphitheater is adorned with 2,000 bricks – celebrating the year ‘2000’. Bricks can still be purchased as a donation to the park and have custom inscriptions to memorialize a variety of people or occasions, but that’s just one of the ways Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park has been able to engage with the surrounding community.
Engaging the Community of Arcadia
There are numerous events that take place at Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park throughout the year. During the summer months, the park is used for festivities, picnics and family reunions at the Lion’s Pavilion, a picnic shelter which features the world’s largest broiler pits all donated by Lions Club. The equipment there is capable of cooking 1,800 pieces of barbecued chicken at the same time.
The Millennium Amphitheater is a 2,000-seat outdoor theater that is used throughout the spring, summer and fall to host large community events, both day and night. One such event, held on the first weekend every August, is Ashley For The Arts which draws over 30,000 people for the weekend event, supporting the arts and local charities. The hillsides surrounding the Amphitheater can allow for an additional 2,500 people, bringing the seating total to 4,500.
The nearby Aquatic Center was completed in 2000. It has the capacity for 376 patrons. It features a zero-depth entry pool with swimming lanes and a huge 150-foot water slide. Recreational facilities are nearby, and they include the two-lighted softball fields; one for is intended slow pitch and the other for past pitch, with the necessary backstops, fencing and bleachers, as well as a press box and concession stand. A basketball court and a volleyball court are also nearby. Additionally, Kid’s Kingdom is wooden playground equipment built by local citizens.
All of these events and activities exist thanks to the engagement that Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park enabled which has created a powerful legacy for the community that continues to grow and expand.
The Legacy of a Community and Nation
Open to the public and free to access, Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park has proven to bring together the community in powerful ways and continues to help actively grow it. The Park’s presence has helped spur the creation of amenities like the Aquatic Center, as well as other landmarks like one dedicated to Arcadia firefighters. That kind of growth has proven to be essential to regions of all types and sizes, and monuments like the Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park are often the only way to enable it.
All of it came from a vision for a monument that was about giving something back to Arcadia. That desire allowed a pillar of the community to not only enable that vision but do so in a way that has come to serve as a legacy for the community and of the nation.
