EDITOR’S NOTE: due to unforeseen circumstances, the groundbreaking was moved from Dec. 12 to Dec. 16. The article below has been updated with the new date:
A new park in the Melrose District is scheduled to break ground on Dec. 16, and members of the public are invited to leave a lasting impression with “donor bricks.”
Known as The Lyceum, which means “gathering place,” the project located at the northwest corner of 7th Avenue and Montecito will be a passive park with shade, seating, low-water trees and plants, lighting, a stage, bike racks and plenty of space to mingle. Woodlea-Melrose resident Perry Allen conceived the idea years ago, and the Community Alliance of Seventh Avenue, adopted the project in 2014 with Charley Jones as project manager.
The park is a partnership of the Community Alliance, the city of Phoenix Parks Department and Clear Channel Outdoor, which owns the property. The park became possible because of Clear Channel’s commitment and donation to the Melrose District.
“They are a phenomenal corporate neighbor, and we can’t thank them enough,” said Jones. “This project also furthers Mayor Stanton’s’ objective to activate vacant lots throughout the city. He has helped many times over the years, and we send mountains of thanks to him. Also, Councilwoman Laura Pastor has been very instrumental during this process, and we send a ton of thanks her.”
In addition, the project enjoys widespread community support, including the nearby neighborhood organizations and Melrose business leaders.
The Community Alliance engaged Norris Design, LLC to design and build the improvements, and Norris chose Harvest Design Group for the construction. Both companies are donating time and labor to the project. Also, a majority of the materials for the project will be donated, Jones said.
The Lyceum will have a special area of donor bricks. Donors can have their names engraved in a brick, or the name of their business, or in memory of a loved one. Tax-deductible donations start at $50 for individuals and $100 for businesses. Proceeds from the bricks will be used for maintenance of the park.
The groundbreaking event is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16, and construction is scheduled to begin on Dec. 18. Brick order forms will be available at the groundbreaking; they also can be purchased online at www.casaon7thave.org. For more information, call 602-359-5095 or email charcor@cox.net.
