The City has been diligently working to research and plan for a permanent place of remembrance that will provide spaces for reflection, remembrance, and solace, pay tribute to those whose lives were taken, and honor Highland Park’s resilience, especially those who were injured.

This significant undertaking began in earnest in 2023, when the City Council appointed a working group focused solely on this very important work. As chair, I would like to recognize our working group: Councilmember Tony Blumberg, City Manager Ghida Neukirch, Resiliency Manager Madeline Kati, Park District of Highland Park Executive Director Brian Romes, and the Josselyn Center’s Donor Relations Manager Gaby Valverde Strobehn. Although the City Council remains the ultimate decision-making authority, this group has been working diligently to research other places of remembrance and make informed recommendations to the Council through its public meetings.  All of the meeting minutes are available on the City’s website. I would also like to recognize Assistant City Manager Emily Taub, who oversees the Resiliency Division, and Communications Manager Amanda Bennett, for supporting the working group.

Earlier this evening, during the Committee of the Whole meeting, the Council continued its discussion of the site location recommendation that was prepared by Do Tank, a human-centered consulting firm that designed a trauma-informed community-wide study to help inform our conversation. Do Tank created an online survey that was completed by nearly 1,000 respondents, conducted focus groups and 1:1 interviews with victims’ family members and individuals who were injured, and worked closely with City staff and the working group. The results of their research are available online at hpremembrance.org, where you can download the full report.

Based on the wealth of data collected, the thorough analysis prepared by the consultant team, and a thoughtful conversation among the Council, we will be moving forward with a prominent primary place of remembrance at the Rose Garden and a subtle secondary place of remembrance at Port Clinton Plaza. This approach allows us to balance the needs of those who felt that the place of remembrance should be in a quiet place with ample space for development, and those who felt that it was important to have a recognition at the site of the shooting.

This decision was informed by input from the families, people who were injured, and the community as a whole. We are grateful to every person who shared their unique perspective with the team. In terms of next steps, the City will issue a national RFQ for design of the permanent place of remembrance. We expect that this part of the process will continue through the summer, with the Council selecting a firm in early fall. Whoever is chosen will be charged with significant public engagement so that all stakeholders are involved throughout the design process. 

To my Council colleagues, thank you for your thoughtfulness, candor, and vulnerability during these difficult conversations. We look ahead to the next phase of this project with a strong sense of purpose and commitment to the values that are guiding this work: inclusion, transparency, respect and value all opinions, and the outcome will last for decades into the future. To learn more about this process, please visit hpremembrance.org.