The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony this (Thursday) morning, for the City Park “Avenue of Flags.” The project was envisioned by Melanie and Darrin Petty, with the Trevor Frederickson Foundation.

Last April, the Cass County Board of Supervisors approved a request from the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund for flags and plaza area, in the County’s portion of the downtown, Atlantic City Park. The project also had the blessing of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Department, and Kiwanis Club.

Since approval was granted, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Dept. and members of the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund have installed eight, 16-foot flagpoles purchased from the Kiwanis Club. The flags are lit by solar lights installed on the flagpoles. A new, 3-foot by 58-foot sidewalk was also installed next to the current sidewalk on both sides, to act as a surface for the poles and plaza for memorial benches.

A total of six memorial concrete benches will be added to the plaza.

The memorial benches will be locked into the concrete, so they can’t be stolen. The benches will cost $700. (Update 11/4: two of the 3 remaining memorial benches have been purchase, 1 more remains available) The TFMF will pay for the shipping and locking mechanisms. If you would like to purchase a bench to honor a friend or loved one, contact Melanie Petty at 712-249-3696.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund took responsibility for all of the costs associated with the project, and have pledged to continue to maintain the flowerbed in the plaza area. To date, the Memorial Fund has contributed nearly $150,000 to the community in the form of projects and other donations. The funds are made possible through support from the annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament, which was established by the classmates of Trevor Frederickson, who died in 2009, and originally was set-up to provide scholarships to Atlantic High School graduating seniors, and to have a bench placed at the Atlantic High School baseball field in his memory. Trevor was a 2006 graduate of the Atlantic High School, and a 2008 graduate of Southwestern Community College in Creston.