ROCK ISLAND-Burying a loved one at National Cemetery in Rock Island Arsenal can be a bone-chilling experience in the winter, but U.S. Rep. Phil Hare has an idea to improve a shelter planned for the grounds.

Hare, D-Rock Island, argued that point Friday during a visit by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Undersecretary for Memorial Affairs William Tuerk, who oversees the nation’s veterans cemeteries.

“The varying climate of the 17th Congressional District can be rain, sleet and snow,” Hare said. “It is important that the committal shelter be able to handle those elements while keeping the people in attendance safe and dry.”

Although Tuerk appeared lukewarm to the idea of enclosing the cemetery’s committal shelter, as Hare has proposed, he praised the historic resting place, which is in the midst of a $10 million expansion.

What’s more exciting, he said, is that the project is ahead of schedule, set for completion in August.

“It’s a wonderful site,” Tuerk said. “We’re revitalizing this national cemetery for people who have stepped forward to defend our freedoms. It’s going to sparkle.”

The expansion encompasses about 25 acres and will provide more than 7,000 gravesites, including casket gravesites, pre-placed crypts and columbarium for cremation remains. It also will provide an assembly area, public restrooms, information building, maintenance area, renovations to the administration building and a new committal shelter.

The new shelter, which already is under construction, is semi-enclosed. Tuerk said it significantly softened the wind’s chill during his visit. “I’m not saying problem solved, but the new design is oriented better.”

He said enclosed shelters were built at Fort Snelling in Minneapolis and later were torn out.

“We want the people in the shelter to see the honor guard, the taps bugler and such. We are not hard-headed, and if the veterans aren’t happy, we will look for opportunities to adapt.”

Bob Brooks, a Vietnam veteran who has participated in funerals at the cemetery, admitted it can be cold. He suggested enclosing the shelter in Plexiglas.

“We want people to look out over the beauty of the cemetery,” he said.

Cemetery foreman Lester White said landscaping and new water lines still need to be installed at the cemetery and roadwork needs to be done. The $10 million project is on budget, he said.