Planned Memorial Design for Pulse Nightclub Revealed

Nearly a decade after the awful tragedy struck at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, the final design plans for a memorial to be created at the site of the 2016 shooting have been unveiled. 

The Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee revealed the design for the permanent memorial last week after an unanimous vote approved the plan. It will include an oval-shaped walking path with 49 rainbow glass panels protected by a canopy, a reflection pool, and a garden with a tree planted in honor of those who survived the horrendous event. There will also be flags displayed representing the heritages of the victims, as well as a private indoor space for gatherings to honor the victims and survivors. 

However, a few details still need to be worked out, such as how to incorporate the names of the victims into the space. One idea is to display a pair of each victim’s shoes alongside their name. Another is to display their names on a wall or on columns throughout the memorial.

The committee is also undecided on how to incorporate the breach wall police broke through to enter the nightclub and rescue survivors. One survivor mentioned its importance as a symbol of hope and wants the wall to stay in its original place on the site. Others are concerned that leaving the wall up could trigger memorial visitors and cause them to flash back to that fateful evening. These details will be ironed out later this month when the committee meets with the Orlando City Council. 

The concept for the memorial site is a combination of the ideas and suggestions of the committee, survivors, and victims’ families. It will also be recognized as a national memorial. Filled with beautiful trees, grass, and flowers, the memorial site is sure to be a touching way to honor those both who lost their lives and who survived in what was at the time the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.