At the Wednesday, August 27 meeting of the working group planning for a Permanent Place of Remembrance, the group discussed the sample conceptual designs and interviews of the shortlisted responses to the Request for Qualifications issued earlier this year. The sample designs will not be the final design of the permanent place of remembrance. However, the concepts provided the group with valuable insight into four unique ways of approaching this significant undertaking. The working group carefully considered each firm's incorporation of trauma-informed community engagement as well. The project scope entails extensive engagement with victims' family members, individuals who were injured, and the community as a whole, and understanding how each team will approach, conduct, and analyze community engagement was critical to the overall evaluation of each submittal.

Information about the four shortlisted firms is available above.

Following discussion and feedback from individuals in attendance, the working group chose SWA as the recommended firm. Working group members felt that SWA's response reflected the strongest understanding of the project scope, stakeholder groups, and the importance of trauma-informed community engagement. Members shared that SWA's package best articulated the relationship between the primary site at the Rose Garden and the secondary site at Port Clinton, and seemed most inclusive of seasonality needs specific to our area, ensuring that the final design would remain a meaningful tribute throughout the year, even during winter.

The group's feedback, along with public feedback, will be included in a staff report to the City Council. Council will discuss this recommendation at the October 6, 2025 meeting of the Committee of the Whole. 

Your feedback will be an important part of the staff report to the Council. Community members are invited to review the proposals, concept designs, and interviews with the working group via the links above. Please share your feedback via email to remembrance@cityhpil.com. All feedback will be acknowledged, shared with the working group, and incorporated into the information provided to Council.

In addition, the working group began the meeting with a moment of silence in remembrance and solidarity with the people of Minneapolis, following the tragic shooting at a school earlier that day. Reports of violence such as this may be retraumatizing for individuals and communities that have experienced gun violence. Support is available from the City's Resiliency Division; visit resilienthpil.org to learn more. In addition, the trained multilingual navigators of 211 Lake County are available 24/7 to assist residents in accessing support services. Call 211, text your zip code to 898211, or visit 211LakeCounty.org.