Memorial Will Honor All Peabody Police and Firefighters Past, Present, Future

Slow but surely goes the fundraising for a new state-of-the-art memorial to pay tribute to Peabody's police and firefighters.

Fire Captain Dale Kimball, who is spearheading the project along with police officer Justin Cecil, recently briefed city councilors on their efforts to date, taking the opportunity to make a public pitch for support to those watching at home.

Firefighter Russell Lewis, who designed the website for the project, said they've raised a mere $2,000 so far by selling 20 bricks. That still leaves $148,000 to go.

Kimball said the memorial is intended to "honor all public safety [officers] throughout our city...from the past [who] have died in the line of duty, for retirees, for current members and for future generations."

The memorial will be located on Perkins Street where currently stands an old Parks and Recreation Department building next to the James Street Park and across the street from the Skate Park. The site is also just about midway between the Fire Headquarters and the Police Department.

The distinctive feature of the new memorial will be two bronze lifesize statues: one a police officer and the other a firefighter. Kimball and company are hoping to raise $100,000 to cover that cost, plus another $50,000.

The statues will flank a stone monument that most likely will bear a plaque, not with individual names, but quotations or phrases. Inscribed bricks will lay the groundwork for the site, which will also have a garden and a bench, and the whole thing will be lit 24/7.

Various fundraising efforts are planned, including selling bricks, which donors can then have a name of an officer or dedication inscribed upon. Monetary donations are also accepted.

“I think it’s going to be a wonderful thing for the community,” said City Council President Tom Gould.

Councilors Anne Manning-Martin and Mike Garabedian said the project "paints the city in a very positive light" and gives them one more reason to be "proud of Peabody," while councilor Bob Driscoll said it's a "credit to the community."

Gould and councilor Barry Sinewitz said they could help Kimball and company also apply for some Community Preservation money. Sinewitz noted CPA funds were used for the Sept. 11 memorial garden at the high school.

"We’ll do anything we can to help," said councilor Dave Gravel. "You can count on my business to provide some support."

Kimball noted talk of the memorial began in the days after fellow firefighter James Rice died in the line of duty on Dec. 23, 2011, but eventually grew to encompass all public safety officers in Peabody.

"This...came about with him [Rice] being the backbone of this project, but it went on beyond because of the Police Department. They treated us with nothing but respect," said Kimball.

He said all involved are committed to raising the necessary money, no matter how long it takes.

"If it takes two, three years so be it, we’ll get it done," Kimball said, adding that the memorial is for the community as a whole, not just for police and firefighters.

Councilor Dave Gamache suggested they also consider making the monument portable in the event the city does build a new combined public safety facility in the future to replace both aging "obsolete" stations.

Fire Alarm Supervisor Joe DaSilva and officer Gerry Fitzgerald, who are heavily involved in the project as well, appeared with Kimball, Lewis and Cecil before the council.

Check out the website at www.peabodymemorial.org.