The Friends of MLK unveils Davenport park to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - The Friends of MLK announced plans for a new park in the City of Davenport that will honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monday.

MLK Park will be located at 501 Brady Street, Davenport, the Quad Cities non-profit said in a media release. The park will be the City of Davenport’s first official memorial for Dr. King.

“The vision for an MLK memorial began back in 2014 with a City of Davenport Task Force,” said Ryan Saddler, Board Chair and CEO of the Friends of MLK. “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.”

The park was designed in collaboration with Streamline Architects, The Friends of MLK said.

“As Mayor, I am pleased to see this exciting project come to fruition,” the City of Davenport Mayor Mike Matson stated. “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 Martine 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.”

The tentative groundbreaking date is set for April 2022, and the opening in summer 2022, The Friends of MLK said. 50 percent of the construction funds have been raised to date.

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