Macomb is preparing to break ground on William H. Thorpe Memorial Park.
The park, named in honor of the city’s first Black police officer, will be built on a triangular plot of land in the 1200 and 1300 blocks of East Pierce Street.
Community Development Director Miranda Lambert told the city council the park will include a concrete path.
“We’re going to have within that walking path a sitting area so you’ll have a round pavement where we have some benches that have already been donated where people will be able to sit and enjoy the space,” she said.
Lambert said there will also be story boards along the path that tell Thorpe’s story.
Three firms submitted bids for the sidewalk and seeding project. The city council this week approved the low bid of nearly $86,000 from Housewright Construction in Carthage.
The city has set aside $60,000 in its budget for the work. Fundraising has brought in more than $18,000, and the city will use revenue from its east side Tax Increment Financing district to cover the rest of the cost.
A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 4.
The concrete work and seeding should be completed by this fall.
Thorpe was born in Macomb and grew up in the community. He graduated from Macomb High School and Western Illinois University.
He joined the police department in September of 1961 and served for 22 years, retiring as a sergeant.
He passed away at his home on Oct. 21, 2019.
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