Fargo National Cemetery to have indoor restrooms, work to begin soon

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – Senator John Hoeven says the Department of Veterans Affairs commits to building a fully developed restroom complete with running water, flushable toilets, heat and electricity, something he’s been fighting for.

Work began this week on wind walls. Hoeven says construction of the restrooms and a storage space will begin in the next few weeks and should be completed by the end of the year.

Under a rural cemetery plan, Fargo National Cemetery was going to have a wind shield and a vault toilet. Hoeven says the VA made the plan for all rural cemeteries in smaller metro areas and the department came to the conclusion without sending representatives to Fargo National Cemetery.

He says pressure from local veterans to make a better facility made it a reality.

“They’re like that Ranger Squad that goes out and figures everything out and now we need to bring in the whole infantry behind them and get this thing done,” Hoeven said.

The City of Fargo is looking into buying three to five acres of land adjacent to the cemetery from the Gust family to develop facilities.

That will help the cemetery get federal funding.

NDSU architecture students are working on renderings for the project.

“To raise $5 to $6 million, I think people are going to jump on board as long as they see a plan with the land that is going to be there in perpetuity and everybody’s come together on it,” Hoeven said.

“We want to do something that we feel will be iconic and I think the architecture students really came up with a beautiful plan of what type of building to put there and a way in which to honor people that have served,” Fargo Mayor Dr. Tim Mahoney said.

The National Cemetery Administration is also working on buying 30 acres to make sure Fargo National Cemetery has enough burial space.

“That’s our only motivation that we have is to give the families a memorable service,” Tom Krabbenhoft with Fargo Memorial Honor Guard said.

In July United Patriotic Bodies Commander Jason Hicks was suspended from volunteering at the National Cemetery for six months by VA officials. It was because of claims of intimidation and harassment in opposing the vault toilet proposal. Hoeven says ending that suspension is up to the VA, but he’s working with the department to resolve the issue.

Mayor Mahoney says the Fargo Moorhead area has one of the highest participation rates for enlisted soldiers and amount of veterans in the nation for a metro area.