Nestled in the heart of Charlotte, near uptown and down the road from where the Panther's practice field is, sits a beautiful Memorial Park. Our Children's Memorial Walkway was established in the heart of Uptown to allow for families of all ages, denominations, and races from across the area to have a place to come together in memory of their children.

Our Children's Memorial Walkway is made up of bricks, many of which are engraved honoring the memory of children. The garden houses cherry trees for shade, benches to rest on, sculptures of children at play and an inscribed monument. Surrounding Our Children's Memorial Walkway are greenways, swingsets, a field for play, and a playground. It is truly a place of life and hope in memory of Our Children.

Mecklenburg County has approved the use of a portion of Frazier Park to establish a memorial to the memory of all the children of any age who have died for any reason in our community. Our Children's Memorial Walkay and garden is located at 1201 West 4th Street.

We're gathered here today
To remember our children who have died.
We look at these bricks
Laid carefully side by side.
For us, this is not just a walkway
Each brick represents our loss
Our pain, our devastation
The unbelievable cost
But each brick represents
our love, our joy
our feelings of great pride
For each girl and boy
Our children still live on in our hearts
We will love them forever
The memories will never part
So to those who see the bricks and may ask why
We're saying please tread softly
On this gentle reminder of days gone by.

Written by: Marilyn Heavilin
Author of Roses In December
May 15, 2004