Ivers Square to get upgrades after votes secure funding

You've got to hand it to the folks at Old Town Cape.

They were able to rally Cape's troops and garner enough votes to land a $127,650 grant to restore parts of Ivers Square, previously known as the courthouse park along Lorimier Street.

The Partners in Preservation grant was a national contest where the top 10 projects with the most votes were awarded the money. The grant was awarded through the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded, not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. Cape Girardeau's project garnered nearly 53,000 of the more than 900,000 votes cast, according to a news release.

"This is the biggest grant we've ever gotten," Old Town Cape resource-development specialist Parker Butler said in a story written by Tyler Graef. "Having a grant you don't have to match yourself, that you can use for a brick-and-mortar project like this, it's pretty unheard of."

The funds will be used for a variety of upgrades around the park. The city renamed the park in June to pay tribute to James Ivers, a former slave who joined the Union Army to serve in the Civil War. The plan includes erecting signage to reflect this change, upgrading the fountain, repairing and restoring the gazebo, and upgrading the lighting among other aesthetic improvements.

Ivers Square is full of history. Not only are there monuments to remember the War Dead, but the old courthouse is one of Cape Girardeau's most iconic buildings. The park has one of the city's best views of the Mississippi River, and there's no telling how many wedding ceremonies have taken place at the gazebo.

Congratulations to Old Town Cape and all who voted for amassing enough votes to land the grant. We're happy that the park will get some attention and upgrades.