Poughkeepsie's Champions: Memorial to celebrate city's civic leaders, see what's planned
Traffic flows around the roundabout that marks the gateway between the town and city of Poughkeepsie.
On one side of the circle is a public park and, on the other, a public housing development. The intersection itself has stood empty for several years, with the exception of a street sign.
That is set to change on Saturday when two prominent city of Poughkeepsie organizations will break ground on the Corey Ingram Circle Champions Walk Memorial, honoring past and present community members and leaders who have shaped the city, specifically the north side.
Chris Kroner, principal at MASS Design Group, said the site will be an important reminder, "to try to forecast and model, especially for the youth of the north side, the stories and guiding direction of what civic leadership and contribution can do."
Poughkeepsie Alliance and MASS have been working together since 2017 on a way to elevate the site where Smith Street and Creek Road meet. The roundabout was named after Corey Ingram, a 28-year-old U.S. Navy technician killed in 2017 after the ship in which he was traveling, the USS John McCain, collided with a 600-pound tanker off the coast of Malaysia.
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What they came up with was a three-part design that would be an entryway into the city and an educational tool.
The centerpiece, in the middle of the roundabout, will light up the word "Poughkeepsie," and the circle will include a memorial to its namesake, Ingram.
Across the street, on the side of the Hudson Gardens Apartments, will be the Champions Walk. Five eight-foot, vertical steel markers — each with an image, short biography and quote from the honoree — will line the area between the sidewalk and the fence.
"We thought it was a great opportunity to pay tribute to a number of heroes in the community, legends of the north side," said Mario Johnson, a member of the Poughkeepsie Alliance, which fosters economic development through partnership with government, private businesses and organizations within the city. The alliance may create a committee to help maintain and grow the walk.
The groundbreaking will come on the same day the city celebrates Juneteenth, the nation's youngest federal holiday, which commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation and its reading, more than two years later, to enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. Mansion Square Park will be the site for a second annual Poughkeepsie celebration, which will include live music, food and entertainment from noon to 6 p.m.
Legends of the north side
Of the 40 plus names that were submitted for consideration, five individuals were chosen to be the first honored on the Champions Walk.
Theodore "Tree" Arrington: Founder of Relationship, Empowerment, Affirmation, Leadership (R.E.A.L.) Skills Network.
Barbara Jeter-Jackson: Dutchess County legislator who also served on boards for such organizations as R.E.A.L. Skills Network, Vassar Brothers Medical Center and the City of Poughkeepsie Planning Board.
Wesley J. Lee: Founder of Save At Risk Youth for Corporate America (SARCA).
Perinnella "Penny" Lewis: Former Fifth Ward councilmember, licensed social worker and advocate for clean streets and restoring blighted buildings.
Lorraine Roberts: Poughkeepsie high school teacher for 30 years, former president of the Dutchess County Historical Society and award-winning community activist.
The organizers hope to add two honorees every year.
Lewis, who is known as "Ms. Penny", spent the better part of her life making sure government officials and landlords were accountable to the residents of her ward. As a councilmember, she worked to keep the streets clean and provide better housing options for residents.
The north side of the city, the neighborhoods north of the arterial, is among the most diverse areas in the city, if not the county. It's also one of the most impoverished areas, dealing with aging housing stock, crime, gun violence and families struggling to make ends meet on low incomes. But for those who live there, it's also a place with a strong sense of community.
When asked what she appreciated most about her city, the 93-year-old Lewis said, "People getting together and doing things to upgrade the city." She hopes those who learn about her, especially the youth, will grow to become "more aware of their surroundings" and get involved.
The Champions Walk Steering Committee includes Yvonne Flowers, Mario Johnson, Wesley J. Lee, Cassandra Ruffin, Anne Perry, Mae Parker Harris and Barrington Atkins, in collaboration with Poughkeepsie Alliance, MASS Design Group, and local area foundations.
Poughkeepsie Alliance, in partnership with the city, provided the funding, through donations and grants.
"We're at the precipice of a lot of change in Poughkeepsie," said Talent Davis, community engagement specialist, MASS Design. "Just even the consideration of a gateway on the north side is a huge step toward progress and towards seeing the north side as a viable community that deserves to thrive."
Saba Ali: Sali1@poughkeepsiejournal.com: 845-451-4518: @MsSabaAli.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Poughkeepsie's Corey Ingram Circle Champions Walk to break ground
