/ Modified apr 13, 2015 2:34 p.m.

January 8th Memorial Design Down to Four Finalists

Public comment sought on proposals; completion still 'many years away.'

anniversary-jan8vigil-spot More than 2,000 supporters illuminated the University of Arizona mall during the Tucson vigil.
Mark Duggan
Listen

Jan. 8, 2011 was an unforgettable day in Tucson. The shooting that occurred at Congresswoman Giffords’ “Congress on your Corner” event in Tucson killed six people and wounded thirteen individuals.

Four years later, and the final decision for a permanent Memorial design team is less than a month away.

Mary Ellen Wooten is the public art program manager with the Tucson Pima Arts Council. She said this decision is exciting, but also very challenging.

“We have four finalists who worked very hard to come up with compelling, competitive ideas,” Wooten said. “We also have to acknowledge that once we have selected that finalist and they go through their design process, there will be a phase of fundraising and construction. So we are still many years away from a final product.”

The main goal for the memorial is to create a place where the events of Jan. 8 are remembered and where citizens can be reminded of their critical role in self-governance.

For the next month, the January 8th Foundation urges the public to comment or make recommendations on the memorial designs online.

After reviewing the comments and recommendations the final team will be chosen in May. The memorial will be at the old Pima County Courthouse and could cost up to $2 million.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona