*Portland, Maine is one of the cities that has been longing for a memorial to honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The authorities in Portland have been trying for quite some time now but their efforts have almost always failed to bring any positive developments in the matter.

Now, however, the community and city leaders have managed to move forward and started the process of mixing art and architecture for a lasting tribute. This tribute for the legendary civil rights leader has been proposed for the Bayside Trail which is near the corner of Franklin Street and Marginal Way.

Leaving It to the Artists

While Portland had released qualifications in May, they wished to see what the sort of vision the landscape artists, architects, and artists had for the memorial. These visions would then be presented to the MLK Memorial Selection Committee.

Once the committee has gone through all the ideas, the finalists are set to be announced on July 22^nd at the City Council chambers. This meeting will also include a 5:30 pm tour of the site where the memorial will be located.

A Fitting Location

The decision for the location had been made about a decade ago by a task force that had been led by city councilor Pious Ali. He said, “It is a fitting location to memorialize the work of Dr. King”. He made it clear that he thought that the location was perfect because a lot of people visit this location on a daily basis and everyone will be reminded of the hero’s vision and sacrifice.

The City’s Intention for a Memorial

According to the city, this memorial is being put in place in order to inspire and reflect upon the life of the Reverend Dr. King and the values he espoused. When people are inspired by the memorial, they will be prompted to consider how they can help his dream come to life while forming a fair and equitable society.

The 3 Finalists

The 3 finalists determined by the City Council will then be asked to bring forward their unique proposals that also include budgets and visuals. All of these factors for the memorial will be discussed over individual interviews that are scheduled somewhere in between November and December. These presentations will also be made available formally for the public so their input can also be weighed in.

Well, no matter what the decision is, now is a good time for bringing everyone’s focus towards honoring Dr. King.

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