The Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Florida not-for-profit corporation, is seeking public input for the design of the official public Memorial to honor the 17 victims who were taken from their families and our community too soon in the February 14, 2018, Parkland school massacre.
The Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation narrowed the submitted designs down from six to three, following a nationwide design competition. The three finalists are:
Gordon Huether, Gordon Huether Studio, Napa, California: The proposal is based on concentric circles, with a central fountain with seating, surrounded by 17 limestone obelisks – a tribute to each victim. These forms hold each victim’s name and include a small shelf for visitors to place mementos. The poem “But for a Small Moment” is engraved into the surface of the plaza. Shade structures have been added to shield visitors from the sun, and feature laser-cutouts that create unique shadows as the sun moves throughout the day. To complete the circular theme, 17 royal palm trees and an outer seating wall form the border of the Memorial.
Humanity Memorial Inc., Sutton, West Virginia, with EDSA, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Dills Architects, Virginia Beach, Virginia: 17 Rays of Light is an original tranquil symbol of light, with a peaceful reflection pool and heroic scale honoring their peaceful spirit; a haven for remembrance and immersion in their spirit of light. A Sanctuary celebrates their vibrant life amidst the beauty and privacy of nature and 17 private gardens, infused with emotion and profound meaning of light honoring the essence of who they were-our light continues touching us, not dimmed by tragedy but forever shines. 17 unique stars represent their uniqueness irreplaceable. Patterns of the families’ choices will be created.
VLC One, Inc., Hollywood, Florida: There will be 17 angular sculptures rising 30 feet, each extending outward to a sheer curtain of water flowing continuously into a reflection reservoir. Each sculpture represents an individual precious life lost. The eternal cascading flow evokes ideas of profound depth, changing feelings, love and sadness, but also rejuvenation, and transformation. A 16-inch (minimum) cast bronze plaque is permanently embedded into each pillar as a tribute to each victim with an optional “bas relief” portrait as well as a QR code for more information. Permanent tasteful seating will be included surrounding the memorial. A separate historical placard is provided at the memorial entrance.
“The Foundation, with input from the families of the victims, have identified the final three possibilities for the design,” said Tony Montalto, father of Gina Montalto, who is Vice Chairman of the Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation and the liaison to the families. “Once we have input from the public and further input from the families, the design firms will make a formal presentation, and we will award the contract from there.”
The public can visit https://parkland17.org/finalists/ to view the final three designs and provide their input. The memorial will honor the victims in perpetuity and will be erected within a quiet, serene 150-acre preserve that borders Coral Springs and Parkland to unite the two affected communities. To stay updated on progress, visit https://parkland17.org and click on “register for updates” to submit an email address and zip code.
“This memorial will be a destination, not only for the families but for all of us who want to honor and remember these innocent souls,” said Foundation Chair Michael Moser, First Responder Representative. “We cannot, however, bring this memorial to life without everyone’s help. It will be the only public memorial, so we ask that companies, organizations, foundations and the public to please donate to this project to ensure its success.” Tax exempt donations can be made at parkland17.org/donate/.
The victims’ families are steadfast in their desire to have a public Memorial built to honor their loved ones taken too soon: Alyssa Alhadeff, Scott Beigel, Martin Duque Anguiano, Nicholas Dworet, Aaron Feis, Jaime Guttenberg, Chris Hixon, Luke Hoyer, Cara Loughran, Gina Montalto, Joaquin Oliver, Alaina Petty, Meadow Pollack, Helena Ramsay, Alex Schachter, Carmen Schentrup and Peter Wang.
