PAGE – The City of Page is reactivating Recognition Brick Program at the Memorial Wall in front of City Hall.

Mayor Bill Diak said, “It is one of the most visited and photographed areas in the city.” Diak said there will be a special area of the plaza dedicated for those who have passed on because of COVID-19.

The Chronicle spoke with Diak Saturday about the program. He said, “We started that project, the Memorial Plaza, many, many years ago.” Diak said the idea originated with former Page Councilor Wes Berry, though the project didn’t begin until after his term. The area used to be grass until it was cleared for a water conversation project.

Diak said, “We did a desert-scape, but it was missing something. So, Wes Berry approached me and asked if we could put some type of plaza out there to show off the city.” Berry made some rough pencil drawings of his idea.

Diak said, “We sat down with Jim Arnold, who is a developer here in town. So, he took that vision and idea that Wes Berry had and elaborated on it.”

The concern was how to pay for it. Diak wanted it to be sustainable. He said, “The city has always built some things, then we can’t maintain them because of budgets and things like that.”

“The idea to keep it self-sustaining,” Diak said, “it was to make it in honorarium, honoring people that have passed and made the ultimate sacrifice for others is one area by selling bricks, so people could honor their loved ones, alive or passed, or just for your wife for putting up with you for 40 years or whatever.”

Diak said some of the money from brick sales will go into a fund. He said if the city cannot continue to maintain it, the fund kicks in.

The next financial hurdle was the construction cost. Diak said, “Unbeknownst to us, in our conversations, Jim Arnold took that project to the Canyon Club. And they made it a Canyon Club project. That’s another thing the Canyon Club has done for our community that we all benefit from.”

“It’s continued to grow there,” Diak said, “I’m hoping this summer we can do some shows and have different things going on there. It has the little stage and the amphitheater, and there’s concrete seating for benches, and people can bring their chairs.” The idea is to have entertainment there for people walking up and down the boulevard.

Diak said, “To rejuvenate that, we’re doing the regular brick program.” He said, “We’re going to have a COVID special area. We’re selling bricks to recognize those people in our region who have passed because of COVID. It’s a memorial for them to show our community as well as visitors that we care.”

Diak emphasized that the memorial is for the region. He’s reached out to Chapters too. He said, “It’s about us, and I’ve always advocated that we are a region. We help one another. We’re a special type of community in that respect.” He added, “Some people don’t agree with that philosophy, but I believe we should be one with our neighbors. That’s how we grew up. That’s how this community grew.”

The cost is $50 for 4”x 8” three-lines of text brick or $100 for an 8”x 8” six-lines of text brick.

In addition to the COVID area, the city flyer states, “Plenty of space for anyone, for any reason in the regular area.”

For more information, stop by Page City Hall or call 928-645-8861.