Deon Leondore is set to be honoured posthumously by the Arima Borough Corporation as the first member of the soon to be built 'Heroes Park' which is expected to be nestled between the Arima Tennis Court and the Netball Court, once approval is given.
Arima Mayor Cagney Casemire revealed this on Thursday during an interview with Guardian Media Sports as his community continues to mourn an outstanding son and sporting hero of the soil who died in a vehicular accident in Texas, USA on Monday.
A tribute is already well underway for the Tennis Lane, Mt Pleasant resident, by way of a large poster of the track and field star for all to see and remember.
Lendore, 29, emerged from humble beginnings in the Calvary area, as a member of the Abilene Wildcats track and field club and later represented his alma mater Queen's Royal College (QRC) on his way to national selection and later world acclaim.
His untimely passing has crushed the Arima community where he was a role model and mentor. Ironically Lendore in a previous discussion with the Arima mayor and his council had made plans to give back to his community. Now, however, the table has turned.
Casemire has been spearheading this project, with considerations for the park to be nestled in the midst of another community and national hero- Lord Kitchener, such was the impact that Lendore had on the community.
Casemire assured the park will be for all who excels in their respective field.
"Initially, we were dismayed, we got the info late in the morning and as you would expect there was a lot of phone calls as regards to his passing. We were very dismayed, it was tragic, it is a devastating loss to the community of Calvary and to Arima.
The former graduate of Queen's Royal College was born on Tennis Lane in Calvary, Arima where we have a tribute to him at his place in the form of a big poster because we are so proud of him and his accomplishments and proud that he is Arima born and he is on the global stage," Casemire said.
He added: " With regards to his fantastic run in the 4x400 metres, you could have heard the community supporting him all the way. In every race and in all his endeavours he was supported fully by the community. In fact, prior to his passing, the council and the councillor for the area had contacted him because we were going to honour him for his achievements.
We had intentions of identifying our heroes park and of course, Deon is a hero to us and we will immortalise him in our hero's park. Yes we have plans but we are still in the stages of putting together how we will honour him, but certainly, we need to hold him up as the role model he is for the youths in Arima.
His achievements are world-class but I can tell you of his humble beginnings in Tennis Lane and his boyhood friends who are all devastated. It is quite a blow for the community."
Lendore, who graduated from Texas A&M University and then worked as a volunteer coach, will not be here to experience the much-needed upgrade to the facility he trained at as a boy with Abilene Wildcats- the Arima Velodrome. Casemire said that the facility, once the mecca for sports in Arima, will be upgraded as part of Lendore's honouring.
" It is no doubt that the velodrome will become a key part of how we pay tribute to Deon Lendore and all of our athletes who are contributing on the world stage.
Deon is just one of several athletes in Arima but he is an exceptional athlete and that exception puts him above the rest," Casemire concluded.