Veterans Group Hoping for Jefferson Barracks Cemetery Expansion

A St. Louis County veterans group has asked the St. Louis County Council for its support in the expansion of Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery into nearby Sylvan Springs Park.

Two members of the group - Al Katzenberger and Mike LeBlanc - presented a petition containing more than 2,000 signatures in favor of the acquisition to the council at Tuesday's meeting. They are hoping the county will work with the Veteran's Administration to make the expansion into Sylvan a reality.

Katzenberger, a liaison for Jefferson Barracks National Chapel, Cemetery and Expansion, told Patch that it is expected the cemetery will run out of room by 2025. He said the expansion into Sylvan, which is a 55-acre park, could provide burial space for another 25 to 30 years.

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"I believe the Veteran's Administration has been in talks with the county about the expansion for about four years," Katzenberger said. "We're hoping the County Council will draft and approve the legislation to make it happen."

Shortly before Tuesday's meeting adjourned, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley called the proposal an "outstanding idea," according to an article in the St. Louis Beacon. Dooley, a Vietnam veteran, said he was 100 percent in favor of the move.

Katzenberger urged residents who want to show their support of the project to contact their county council members.