American flag to fly in Broadway median beginning on Sunday

You have probably noticed the large flag pole that has been erected in the Broadway median on the south end of the 1100 block.

Right now, it’s just a pole, but starting Sunday night when the 8-by-12-foot American flag is raised for the first time, you won’t be able to miss it.

The flag is a project funded by Big Dog Running Co., the Run Across Georgia and Uptown Columbus, Inc. No public funds were used in the project, which cost about $7,500 including donated materials and work hours.

The flag will first be raised during the Run Across Georgia finishing ceremony beginning at 4 p.m. on Sunday in the downtown Broadway median.

“As far as Uptown goes, we don’t have a flag on Broadway that we own,” Bishop said.

“We have one down on the river. But this was John Teeples’ idea to have it here. He wanted to have it up by the end of the Run Across Georgia and do it on Memorial Day weekend. It made a lot of sense.”

Uptown will assume maintenance and ownership, with its employees lowering it to half mast when that becomes necessary, Bishop said.

“This really is a great spot for it,” Bishop said.

Asked if there was any city approval that had to be obtained before the pole was erected, Bishop looked perplexed.

“Come on,” he said, “to put up an American flag?”

Teeples, Columbus builder and co-owner of Big Dog, is excited about the new flag being raised this weekend.

“This is something we really wanted to do,” he said.

“This is Columbus and Fort Benning. It is appropriate to have a large flag flying here.”

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 9:16 AM with the headline "American flag to fly in Broadway median beginning on Sunday."