Permanent Memorial Plans in Progress

March 30, 2000

The approaching anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings has increased public interest in plans for a permanent memorial. A Memorial Committee consisting of students, faculty and parents from Columbine High; a representative of the victim’s families; design professionals; emergency response agencies; community members; and representatives from R-1 Schools, Jefferson County and Foothills Park and Recreation District has been meeting regularly since July of 1999. The committee has created an organizational structure, developed a mission statement, goals and objectives and gathered 2,300 responses to a questionnaire provided to students, faculty, parents, and published in Columbine area newspapers. The committee has interviewed a number of firms and selected a consultant to assist with the memorial design process. A design team including local firm DHM Design, was retained to assist the committee with the public process and development of design alternatives.

Contributions to the memorial have been coming in from across the country since May 1999. To date, a total of $200,000 in donations and pledges has been collected. In addition to cash contributions, more than 20 local firms and contractors’ associations have pledged assistance with construction, including donation of in-kind services and materials. The Colorado Garden Show has contributed nearly $30,000 for landscape materials. Though a final project budget has not been set, the committee has estimated a range of possible costs between $500,000 and $1,500,000 depending on the final design. An additional fundraising campaign for the memorial is scheduled to begin in May.

In the months after the Columbine tragedy, 250 unsolicited design suggestions were sent to Foothills Park and Recreation District. These suggestions have been turned over to the committee and design team for review. The committee does not plan to select a final design from among these suggestions, but rather will gather and consider all available information and then develop a number of independent design alternatives for consideration. In addition to review of these design suggestions, over the next few weeks, the committee will be conducting a series of meetings with victims’ families, students and faculty and will also provide opportunities for public comment. This information will be combined with the 2,300 responses to the memorial questionnaire that was developed and distributed late last year.

The committee intends to review design alternatives and make an announcement regarding the final design by July 2000. Construction of a memorial is expected to begin this fall, and the planned dedication date is April 20, 2001, the second anniversary of the Columbine shootings. A final decision on the location of the memorial will be announced within the next month. Questionnaire results and general public comment have indicated a preference for Clement Park as the location for the memorial, and this regional park adjacent to the high school is the primary site presently under consideration.

Committee Chairman, Robert Easton said, "I am pleased with our progress to date. We have a diverse and dedicated committee working on this project. We devoted the early part of our time to developing a mission statement and goals and objectives and also developing and evaluating results of the community questionnaire. Now that we have retained the services of a design team, we are ready to move forward with additional public comment and preparation of a final design. The committee is deeply aware of the sensitivity and importance of this project, and our priorities for discussion and development of the final design, in order of importance, will be the victims’ families; injured students and their families; faculty, students and parents; and the Columbine community. There is much to be accomplished over the next few months and I am confident our process will result in a fitting and appropriate permanent memorial, one that is reflective of the needs and wishes of all who have been affected by this tragedy."

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