AMARILLO, Texas(KAMR/KCIT)— During the City Council meeting on Tuesday, the City of Amarillo, in a 5 to 0 vote, approved the construction of a memorial downtown to honor first responders.

According to the meeting agenda, the item discussed a lease agreement between the City of Amarillo and Friends of AJ Swope for property located at 1018 S. Polk Street, to be used for a memorial park to honor first responders from the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle who have lost their lives in the line of duty, since the 1880s and beyond.

“This is a way to bring people out on the streets and fulfill some of the mission to make downtown a more walkable, more beautiful place,” Wes Reeves, chair of the Friends of AJ Swope committee said. ” Most importantly, it’s to give a revered, respectable area for the families of first responders who are still living.”

According to the Friends of AJ Swope website, the Texas Panhandle First Responders Memorial will provide a centralized place to commemorate fallen heroes from across the region, a list that currently includes 86 law enforcement officers, firefighters, ems personnel, and emergency transport members.

To donate to first the responders memorial, or to learn more, visit the Friends of AJ Swope website.