Planning Process
Three and a half years after the tragic Columbine High School shootings, the Foothills Foundation and the Columbine Memorial Committee unveiled the conceptual design for a permanent community memorial. The design evolved from a clearly defined participatory process that follows a four-level diagram. Decision-making and design centered first around those most affected by the tragedy -- the families of those killed. The second established priority addressed injured individuals and their families. The third tier of design workshops and survey data collection was held with past and present high school students, staff and faculty. A fourth level of involvement brought community members into the process through surveys and an open house. Many memorials are developed from design competitions that focus on an artist and designer developing a scheme within a closed process. The Columbine Memorial was an open process with these four distinct levels of participation. The emphasis was always on those that were most directly affected by the tragedy. The evolution of the design responds to the priorities established for input and represents the Columbine area community in its forms, ideas and materials.

Goals
In order to elicit the ideas and elements that were most important to the victims’ families, the design team presented a range of existing memorials both historical and contemporary and examined with the participants why particular elements created strong emotional reactions. Workshop sessions over a two-year time frame eventually forged a common vision for the memorial plans and fostered development of a high level of trust and dialogue between the design team and involved groups. With the evolution of these sessions, a number of common themes were revealed among the different groups. The outgrowth of the workshop sessions and community involvement was that the overarching goals of the memorial should be as follows:

- Create a respectful place where family members, members of the community and visitors can come to gain an understanding of the innocent victims of Columbine.

- Create a memorial with content and purpose 100% derived from members of the Columbine community, and keeping with the scale, materials and natural forms found in the Columbine area.

- Recognize and honor the deceased, the injured, the survivors and the community members.

- Incorporate the Columbine "never forgotten" ribbon in the concept design for the memorial. In the years since the tragedy, the Columbine ribbon has become a symbol of community unification and strength. This specific ribbon, designed in the Community will be re-created in the paving or landscape patterns of the memorial.

The Memorial Plan
Visitors will find the memorial at the southeastern edge of Clement Park and are drawn in by the sound of water and a grove of trees. Volumes of rushing water fill your ears, masking noisy park activities and providing a means to transition into an introspective interior space. A short gentle decline as you cross the threshold into the memorial further emphasizes the solemnity of the place and is intended to create a quiet, respectful demeanor.

The interior of the memorial is an oval stone outer wall softened by a grove of trees in the center and low native plantings around the edges. Steep landforms of the existing hills gently fold back from the top of the outer retaining wall. These hills surround a majority of the memorial, embracing, comforting and protecting the visitor and the community. As the memorial elements are revealed, the visitor notices the inner Ring of Remembrance, and the outer Ring of Healing.
At the core of the memorial, an intimate grove of trees grows out of an oval of intricate landscape and stone paving. The leaves soften the light surrounding the Ring of Remembrance. This low elegant wall of stone invites you into a circle of stories. The stone is etched with words that are individual narrative remembrances of the deceased victims; remembrances crafted from interviews of the victim’s family and friends. While reading the remembrances, the visitor may be comforted by the sound of water coming from the opposite side of the low wall. An intricate ribbon design fills the center space and hugs the Ring of Remembrance. The tails of the ribbon, inscribed with the phrase "Never Forgotten" frame a connection to the outer Ring of Healing becoming a symbolic link between the community and the deceased.

Forming the remaining structure of the memorial is the outer Ring of Healing. Native Colorado stone forms the space for the memorial out of the embracing hills and is etched with the words of the community. A variety of general text gathered from interviews of students, teachers, the injured and their families, and other community members tell diverse stories of healing, changes in the community, and hopes for the future. The Ring of Healing starts low near the entrance to the memorial and climbs towards the back wall where the majority of the general text will be concentrated. Low groupings of native shrubs and flowers soften the stone and create an inviting garden environment. Benches are located in welcoming areas to allow the visitor to sit in reflection and contemplation.

There will be overlooks along and on top of Rebel Hill providing panoramic views to the Rocky Mountains, the eastern plains and the Columbine community. Another walk arcs along the top edge of the hills and connects the overlooks while providing an accessible route to the dramatic views. Landscaped terraces on the north hill soften the hillside and allow for small gathering areas in which visitors might share their thoughts and experiences with each other.

The exit to the memorial moves the visitor back through the entrance corridor and once again directs their view towards the Colorado foothills. One final quote (not yet created) on the exit wall will disclose a parting thought to take away with you as the sound of water reintroduces you to the activity of the outer park and ongoing life in the community.

Construction Process
Groundbreaking for the Columbine Memorial took place on June 16, 2006 with construction beginning in August of 2006. The Memorial was completed and dedicated on September 21, 2007.

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