Big plans are in store for the Lion’s Club Melvin Jones memorial in Fort Thomas. Although the memorial has been quiet for years, the local Lions have started the ball rolling once again for change and betterment of the property. As many of you know, the site is a monument because Ft. Thomas is Melvin Jones’s birthplace. The Lions Club is planning on expanding two and a half acers of unused property behind their memorial building. This land will be turned into an overnight staying spot for travelers. The plans for the land development include shower facilities with RV camping and restrooms.
Jim Warren is on the Lion’s Club board, and he said, “In the long run this promotes the Ft. Thomas economic situation. There’s a lot of things to do locally here that people would be very interested in.” With a place for travelers to stop and spend the night, they may be more inclined to check out the local sights. “We’re looking at the people coming from the east coast going to Tucson or Phoenix, and they would use this as an alternative route so they can stop their motor-home and stay overnight at Ft. Thomas to use the shower facilities, bathroom facilities, so on and so forth,” Warren stated, “It could also be used by bicyclists going from the west coast going toward the east coast because this highway is predominantly used by bicyclists.”
Early planning has already begun, and the Lions have started looking for people to help clear the land behind the memorial. At this point the quiet little park-like Melvin Jones memorial in Ft. Thomas is a serene spot with nary a soul is site. However, that all could be changing soon. We wish the Lions luck in this new endeavor. We hope to see you bring a little more life and light to the Ft. Thomas historical area.
