Representatives of the Historical Preservation Office and former Saipan Municipal Council Speaker Vicente Camacho noted the significance of the project.
The memorial courtyard will “capture Saipan’s political history and depict local leadership during the commonwealth period up to the present time.”
Municipal Council Chairwoman Antonia M. Tudela, Vice Chairman Ray Blas Camacho and member Felipe Atalig believe that the courtyard will also revitalize and enhance Chalan Kanoa, which was once known as the island’s “capital.”
The courtyard includes a park where public events can be held.
HPO said the courtyard may not be eligible to be a historical site, but its location can be included in the national register as a historical site of Saipan.
The courtyard includes the remains of the roundhouse that used to be the center of island government under the Trust Territory administration.