Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Monday was the final chance for community members to give their input on what a future permanent memorial for victims of the Tops mass shooting should include during Monday evening's public meeting at the Stanley Makowski Early Childhood Center along Jefferson Avenue.
Though no final plan is set, the goal of the future memorial is firmly established: Provide a place where a still grieving community can go to heal.
"We've had it said several times that they want something that's going to be living, something that's going to be reflecting, holistic in its approach to where there's grieving, there's reflection and then there's action," says 5/14 Memorial Commission Chair Rev. Mark Blue, who joined Brian Mazurowski and Susan Rose on WBEN on Tuesday.
That holistic approach would not include a statue, or as Blue describes "something static," but rather a space where grieving members can go to reflect.
The location of the memorial will influence part of that healing process.
"We're looking at making sure that we cover the concerns of the community and put it in a place where it will do the most good," says Rev. Blue.
Related
Rev. Blue says another goal of the memorial will be to increase learning in community members. He hopes the tribute will lead to the elimination of white supremacy.
"White supremacy is something that needs to die, something that needs to be addressed. And we need to make sure that our children and children's children have an opportunity to not only learn about what happened but learn about the steps that we're trying to do to eradicate this disease," Rev. Blue tells WBEN.
This is not the end of the community feedback process as a whole according to Rev. Blue. He says there will be future opportunities for community members to weigh in once planning is further ahead and all ideas are gathered.
There's plenty of ideas too, according to Rev. Blue. "We don't know how big it's gonna be yet. We don't know if it's gonna be small. We don't know if it's gonna have buildings attached to it, or even a park-like setting."
Whatever it will look like, there's still time for people to submit their ideas. Community members may make their submissions via an online survey until Nov. 1.