Construction of the Ironworkers Walk of Fame, a memorial honoring the union ironworkers who built the Mackinac Bridge, and all those across the United States and Canada, has officially begun in Mackinaw City. Marilyn McFarland, the former Mackinaw Area Visitors Bureau director, expects the first phase of construction to be finished next summer.

"I think it's about time these guys got some recognition for all the work they did building America," Mrs. McFarland said.

Road construction for the monument began in early May on North Huron Avenue, and Mackinaw Village Manager Jeffery Lawson said commemorative paver stones will be added throughout July.

Union ironworkers interested in having their names added to the Walk of Fame must purchase a paver stone for $100. So far, $20,000 worth of pavers have been purchased by union members and their families.

Mrs. McFarland expected the construction to begin sooner, but tough economic times stymied the project's progress. Many ironworkers have expressed interest in the project but did not have the money to spare for the pavers, Mrs. McFarland said.

The stones are inscribed with the names of ironworkers, their union number, and their profession. The bricks will be installed along North Huron Avenue, on both sides, between Nicolet and Ducharme streets.

A union in Des Moines, Iowa, purchased 10 bricks for deceased members, Mrs. McFarland said. A special insignia will be placed on each of their stones.

A monument will also be added to the Walk of Fame, although its exact form has yet to be decided.

The monument was originally envisioned as a stone slab, Mr. Lawson said, but it was later decided that an iron art piece would be more appropriate.

Money is being raised for the monument. Mr. Lawson hopes to raise enough funds through the coming winter to begin construction of the monument next year.

Union 401 of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, asked for a larger block to be designed upon hearing of the project, Mrs. McFarland said. The larger block will mark a particular area for each union, and the smaller paver stones will be placed around it.

"The ironworkers are taking this idea and running with it," Mrs. McFarland said. "It's fabulous."

The large blocks cost $800, and 15 of the blocks have been purchased by unions.

Ironworkers will be notified when the first phase of the bricklaying has been completed and will be invited to an induction ceremony. Ironworkers will then be given a smaller keepsake brick inscribed exactly as the one added to the Walk of Fame.

Workers unable to attend the ceremony may have their gift mailed to them.

Paver orders must be received before the end of the year to be added to the first construction phase, Mrs. McFarland said. Bricks will be added throughout the years as long as there is interest.

Besides honoring ironworkers, Mrs. McFarland wanted to give a voice to each ironworker's personal story. She notes that she has heard many interesting stories from ironworkers, although nobody would ever know the stories unless they personally spoke to one of them, she said.

Ironworkers who purchased bricks will be added to the Ironworkers Walk of Fame Web site. Each entry contains the workers' total number of projects, which projects they enjoyed the most, and their most memorable on-the-job story.

"We see letters from widows about what their husbands did. It's wonderful."

Mrs. McFarland was inspired to honor the ironworkers while she attended the Mackinac Bridge 50th Anniversary celebration in 2007. She proposed the project to the village council in January 2008.

She also believes that creating the Ironworkers Walk of Fame in Mackinaw City will generate tourism.

"I think over time it will make a difference and become its own entity," she said of the site.