PETERSBURG, Va. -- The City of Petersburg is calling on residents to submit recommendations for Petersburg legends who should featured in a new mural.
The mural will be located at the entrance of Petersburg Legends Historical Park and Nature Sanctuary, formerly known as Lee Memorial Park.
In July, City Council voted to rename park to honor the athletic legends from Petersburg who played and trained at the park.
The move to change the park's name came amid a nationwide movement to rename buildings and places that were named after Confederate figures.
Councilman Darrin Hill (Ward 2) expanded the honor by commissioning a mural to depict athletic legends from Petersburg.
The city is now soliciting recommendations for which Petersburg legends should be included in the mural.
Moses Malone, Mark West, Frank Mason, Quinton Spain are a few of several Petersburg athletes included on the survey.
The jerseys of the athletes will be included in the final artwork.
Survey submissions will be accepted through Thursday, August 27.
A new mural isn't the only change coming to the park. The area will also receive a face lift while it is shut down due to the pandemic.
Artist shares his vision for Legends Park mural
The Mural will be painted by Petersburg native Frank Underwood Jr.
"I'm a fine artist, with oil paintings, portraits, families."
"I was exhilarated that, for this project to be able to do this," said Underwood.
The prominent artist played at the park as a child.
He says he appreciates the name change.
"The point is you have all these young black men playing their heart out for a sport and they're playing under the name of a man that lead an army of oppression against them," said Underwood.
The artist described his vision for the blank canvas.
"I think I want to put like a, almost a ghostly figure of their arms and just their neck, but you wouldn't know who it is, you'd only know who they are by virtue of their jersey and their name but still have a little spirit of them there," he added.
