A painful chapter in Butler County’s commitment to honoring its veterans finally came to a close Wednesday with the replacement of damaged commemorative bricks — called pavers — in Diamond Park.

On Wednesday, contractor Granite Fabricating of Bentleyville, Washington County, installed more than 200 new bricks that list the veterans’ names and their branch and years of service. The pavers are a fitting remembrance of those who sacrificed so much in the service of their country.

The pavers now are the mark of respect that they should have been all along.

It was understandable that those in charge of the pavers project initially preferred that the pavers begin at the front of Diamond Park along South Main Street and extend back into the park. Placed that way, the pavers would encourage people to walk into the park to see the other pavers and perhaps look more closely at the monuments and other memorials there — and reflect on their significance.

Unfortunately, the freeze-thaw cycle, heavy foot traffic in front of the park and the snow-removal equipment used to clear snow and ice from the park’s front are suspected of having caused the severe damage incurred by many bricks.

That turned what was meant to honor county veterans to something much less.

The chipped and cracked bricks projected something not very honorable for the county. In fact, some people called the condition of the bricks disgraceful.

Although rectifying the problem took much longer than should have been necessary, what now is in place hopefully will meet the expectations that initially were tied to the project. The county Veterans Services Offices no doubt will continue to monitor the bricks’ condition and quickly address any problems that might surface — although it’s hoped there will be none.

Although the new pavers were installed at no cost to the county, necessary work tied to the replacement cost $23,900. That work involved replacing light poles and extending decorative red bricks in the park.

If there’s a lesson for county officials stemming from the bricks problem, it’s that consideration must be given to more than a project itself. Among other things to be factored in are this area’s weather conditions and the day-to-day “punishment” to which a project might be subjected.

For now, though, this honor to county veterans is a fitting recognition of their sacrifices. County residents should visit the park and peruse the bricks whenever they’re in the city.