CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville Rotary Club will be adding the Ukrainian flag to the McGregor Park International Avenue of Flags along Riverside Drive, pending approval by the City Council.
Clarksville Rotary Club President Chris Buerck told Clarksville Now the addition of a Ukrainian flag represents a show of support for both Ukraine and the Clarksville residents with ties there.
“We feel that raising a Ukrainian flag permanently on the Avenue of Flags would be a show of support from the Clarksville community to a country that is very in need of support right now,” Buerck said. “We do have a small base of Ukrainians who are Clarksville residents. They reached out, and we think it’s an important thing to recognize.”
The last addition to the Avenue of Flags along Riverside Drive was in Oct. 3, 2019, with the Chinese flag.
Pending city approval
Adding a flag, along with a pole for it, to the Avenue of Flags display requires the City Council to accept them as a donation. Acceptance of a new flag and pole is included on the agenda for the council’s meeting on Thursday, April 7, at 6 p.m.
If approved, Buerck said, the addition of a new flag and pole can take around four weeks. Once the flag is in place, Rotary plans to hold a celebratory event at McGregor Park.
More flags on the way
Buerck said Rotary plans to donate four flags and poles, including Ukraine’s, to the display this year in recognition of diversity and inclusion in Clarksville.
“The Avenue of Flags was constructed and started to embrace Clarksville’s international community, so adding flags to it that represent nationalities that are in Clarksville is very important to us.”
Buerck said that Rotary is “pretty sure” what the other three flags they plan to add are, but they are not ready to announce them yet.
The park already includes flags for these nations:
- US
- Argentina
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- France
- Germany
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Kenya
- Luxemburg
- Mexico
- Panama
- Poland
- Philippines
- Scotland
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Uganda
- United Kingdom
- Venezuela
- Zaire (Congo)
- Zimbabwe
- Zambia
In addition, these flags are displayed: Clarksville, Tennessee, Puerto Rico, Rotary and POW.
The display has 26 poles, so there are more flags than there are poles, said Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department Director Jennifer Letourneau. Four or five flags are rotated in and out.
Chris Smith contributed to this report.
Correction: Chris Buerck’s name was misspelled in an earlier version of this report. It has been updated.