1)
Why was the Memorial built?
The Columbine Memorial was built to honor and remember the innocent victims of the April 20, 1999 shootings at Columbine
High School. Families of the victims, students, faculty, and community members have all expressed a desire for creation
of a permanent memorial. The Columbine Memorial Committee was formed shortly after the shootings, and the development of
an appropriate design was ongoing since then. Many people within, and outside of, the Columbine community were interested
in funding and completing a permanent memorial to make sure that innocent victims who died, were injured, or otherwise
endured the Columbine tragedy were not forgotten.
2) Where is the Memorial located?
The Memorial is located in Clement Park, adjacent to Columbine High School. It is on the east side of the park adjacent
to "Rebel Hill" and west of the school. The Memorial is just over an acre in total size, with the central area
approximately 27,000-sq. ft. (roughly half the size of a football field).
3) Are donations still being accepted?
Yes! Donations will be used for maintenance. Tax deductible contributions may be sent to:
Columbine Memorial Fund
c/o The Foothills Foundation
PO Box 621788
Littleton, CO 80162-1788
or made via this website.
4) Is this the "official"
memorial?
Yes, this is the only public memorial. While there may be other small-scale tributes, this is the only Memorial with the level of
planning, professional design, participation and endorsement of victims' families, and private and public support. The Memorial
design is intended to focus on an appropriate remembrance. The selected location provides an open, public space dedicated to the
memory of the innocent victims and a place to remember the tremendous impacts on the community.
5) Who designed the Memorial?
The Columbine Memorial Committee received proposals from many design firms and conducted interviews before selecting DHM
Design from Denver, Co as the design consultant for the Memorial. The Committee and design consultants took the results
of 3,500 completed surveys, along with comments from Columbine students, faculty and staff, and combined that information
with detailed input from victims' families gathered over 18 months worth of meetings, to create the conceptual design.
The present design incorporated details specifically requested by the victims' families.
6)
Who is the Memorial Committee?
The Committee consisted of Columbine graduates who were students in 1999, past and present faculty, Columbine parents,
community and business leaders, first responders, and public officials who volunteered in June of 1999 in response to
numerous questions and requests for a permanent memorial. The Committee met regularly in development of the Memorial
design beginning in June of 1999. A list of committee members can be found on this website.
7) How was the design developed?
The Memorial Committee started work in June of 1999. The early months of meetings focused on developing Committee structure
and goals, creating a vision for the Memorial and conducting several public meetings to gather necessary input. This initial
design process also established priorities that would govern all design decisions. Emphasis was placed on the families of
those who lost their lives, those who were injured and their families, students, faculty and staff, and finally the
Columbine community in general.
The Committee developed and conducted a survey that generated 3,500 responses, then interviewed and hired a design
consultant, reviewed Memorial location alternatives and selected a site. There were three initial design concepts
prepared in 2001 that were reviewed with the victims' families. The families asked for changes to those design
concepts and also requested more time to consider the Memorial. In response, the Committee slowed its design
activity and concentrated its effort on building the relationships with the families.
The Committee and the design consultants started a prolonged series of meetings with victims' families in October of
2001. The current design is a result of numerous meetings since October 2001 that produced the current plans; plans
that include several features requested by the victims' families. The conceptual plans were approved by the families
of the deceased and also the families of the injured in August of 2002. The next several months were spent refining
the design, preparing a construction cost estimate, preparing public information and web site materials, and devising
a fund raising plan. The final design was unveiled at a press conference in April 2003, and was revised in 2005 to
reduce construction costs.
8) How much did the Memorial cost? Where did construction funds come from?
The total project cost of the Memorial was $1.5 million. This cost included design, utilities, site grading and general
construction. Many construction contractors and other businesses donated their time and services as an avenue for them to
contribute to a worthy and necessary community endeavor.
9) When did work start, and when was the Memorial completed?
Groundbreaking for the Columbine Memorial took place on June 16, 2006. Construction began in August of 2006. The Columbine
Memorial was dedicated on September 21, 2007.
10) Who takes care of the Memorial now that its completed?
Clement Park staff, employed by the Foothills Park and Recreation
District, will maintain the Memorial. There are also plans to
form a volunteer group to assist with maintenance and upkeep of
the Memorial site.
11) Who do I contact for further Memorial inquiries or questions?
Written correspondence can be sent to the address noted on this website or via email at
info@columbinememorial.org |
