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A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, May 22 at 10:00 a.m. in Long Beach for Harvey Milk Promenade Park, the first park in the nation to honor the slain Californian civic leader.
The Park is also the first park in the City of Long Beach named directly after an LGBT leader, notes a release from the City of Long Beach. Discussions about naming the park for the politician began last year.
"Harvey Milk was a trailblazer for the LGBT community who battled against discrimination and unbelievable odds,” said Mayor Bob Foster. “I’m proud that Long Beach is the first city in the country to honor Harvey Milk by dedicating a park in his name.”
Milk was the first openly gay elected official in California, and served as a San Francisco Supervisor. He was assassinated in 1978 by a former colleague. May 22 would have been Milk's 82nd birthday.
More info on the Park from the City of Long Beach:
Funded by the former Long Beach Redevelopment Agency (RDA), the park site will include new landscaping, seating, lighting, enhanced paving, and public art to include a replica of Harvey Milk’s famous soapbox and an area dedicated to honoring Long Beach area LGBT leaders. This project is part of the final phase of the Promenade Master Plan estimated to be completed by the end of the year.
