The official public Memorial to honor the 17 victims who were taken from their families and our community on February 14, 2018, in the Parkland school massacre moved one step closer with the selection of Artist Gordon Huether’s design. The Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Florida not-for-profit corporation, has been overseeing the nationwide design competition for the public memorial. Huether, of Gordon Huether Studio in Napa, California, was selected from six finalists. Each of the finalists was reviewed and evaluated by the Parkland 17 Memorial Foundation board and the public provided input through an online survey. The families of the victims were advised of the steps in the design process and continue to provide their input.
Huether’s design is based on concentric circles, with a central fountain and seating, surrounded by 17 limestone obelisks, a tribute to each victim. These forms hold each victim’s name and other information about these beloved sons, daughters and husbands whose lives were tragically cut short. A meaningful poem is planned to be engraved into the surface of the plaza. Shade structures have been added to shield visitors from the sun and feature laser cutouts that create unique shadows as the sun moves throughout the day. To complete the circular theme, 17 royal palm trees and an outer seating wall form the border of the Memorial.
Corporations, businesses, foundations and the public can make tax-exempt donations to help build the Memorial at www.Parkland17.org.
