The Friends of MLK, a Quad Cities non-profit, held a press conference on MLK Day to announce plans for a new park in the City of Davenport that will honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. MLK Park, to be located at 501 Brady Street, Davenport, will be the City of Davenport’s first official memorial for Dr. King.
“The vision for a MLK memorial began back in 2014 with a City of Davenport Task Force. It is exciting to see this vision begin to come to reality. It is our hope that all Davenport residents and Quad Citizens will see this park as an opportunity to gather and honor the life and legacy of Dr. King. This park is our reminder of the fight for equity and justice that has made America what it is today,” said Ryan Saddler, Board Chair and CEO of the Friends of MLK.
The Friends of MLK has partnered with Streamline Architects to design the park. The tentative groundbreaking date is April 2022 with an opening in summer 2022. Fifty percent of the construction funds have been raised to date.
City of Davenport Mayor Mike Matson stated, “As Mayor, I am pleased to see this exciting project come to fruition. The Davenport City Council appreciates the great work of the Friends of MLK, who have sought to find ways to honor the great legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in our community. Through their diligent work and partnership, the Davenport City Council has made a funding commitment to create a new park in memorial of Martin Luther King, Jr. This park will provide Davenport residents with a place to gather, celebrate, remember and honor the legacy of someone that fought for the freedom of many”.
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