Highland Park council reviews three concept designs for permanent Place of Remembrance at Rose Garden and Port Clinton

Consultants and city staff presented three design concepts on May 11 for a permanent Place of Remembrance at Highland Park’s Rose Garden and companion elements at Port Clinton Plaza, and asked the Council of the Whole for high‑level feedback.

Marissa Schultz, a principal with Altogether, said outreach reached roughly 180 participants across tiers of engagement, with 22 respondents in direct next‑of‑kin (tier‑1) surveys and about 55 participants in listening sessions and workshops. "Naming the seven whose lives were taken and acknowledging all who were harmed" was the most consistently expressed priority, Schultz said, and participants asked that the design intentionally reflect Latino and Jewish cultural traditions while offering visitors choices about how and when to engage.

Ben, a consultant with SWA, described three preliminary concepts for the Rose Garden site and three companion options for Port Clinton. Concept 1, "Woven Together," proposes seven individualized remembrance niches connected by meandering paths, a central council ring that preserves the existing rose‑garden geometry, and water features that guide visitors through a sequence of reflection spaces. Concept 2, "Mending Lines," uses gentle arcs and an active pilgrimage element in which visitors could carry a stone to a reflecting pool. Concept 3, "Petals," places seven sculptural petal elements above a meadow and a low wall that would bear names.

Consultants said accessibility, seasonal appearance, and preservation of mature oaks were primary drivers. They noted that some trees identified for removal are invasive or young and that mature canopy would largely be preserved. The team also warned that Port Clinton is built on structure and that significant ground‑level changes could trigger costly re‑waterproofing work.

Council members broadly praised the work but raised technical and programmatic concerns. Mayor Robertson said she "leans toward 1" because it provides varied reflection opportunities and preserves historical cues. Multiple council members expressed worry about Concept 2’s maintenance—"the Jewish symbolism of taking rocks and placing them is very strong," one council member said, but others flagged the logistics and upkeep of a repeated rock‑carrying action—and about Concept 3’s sculptural elements creating inadvertent hazards or a barren appearance in winter. Consultants said the petal sculptures were envisioned roughly 5–8 feet above ground and would be tested for wind and durability.

On Port Clinton, consultants proposed three lighter interventions aligned thematically with the Rose Garden: relocating seven trees to Port Clinton as living symbols, installing an interactive message object for private notes, or placing an eighth petal sculpture with inscribed names and seating. Several council members cautioned against tying the memorial work to a full Port Clinton redevelopment given that large‑scale renovation is not in the current 10‑year CIP and could require substantial additional funding; others said an integrated approach could better honor those affected.

Staff and consultants said they will return to the council on June 8 with a single refined concept, seasonal renderings and lighting studies, and additional detail on site circulation and materials. Construction documents and bidding are targeted for 2027 pending subsequent approvals.

The council took no formal design vote on May 11. The consultants left the meeting to continue a public engagement session elsewhere; the council recessed briefly and then resumed other agenda business.