Christmas Parade Memorial Decommissioned In Waukesha

WAUKESHA, WI—A short closing ceremony of the temporary parade memorial was held on Wednesday at Veteran's Park in Waukesha.

"As a community we have been united in our grief and in our purpose to help those who experienced trauma. We have shown that we would not allow the evil of the tragedy to be how we are defined, but to show that we are defined by our compassion and our unity," Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly said.

The park in downtown Waukesha has become the site of a temporary memorial to the lives lost at the Nov. 21 Christmas parade. A man drove into marchers and spectators at the parade, resulting in the deaths of six people and more than 60 injured.

"We, as a community, recognize that this place and items are symbols of our sorrow and grief. We also recognize that the removal of these items will not end our grief or erase our pain," Reilly said.

He added the items will be moved to a new place where people can better understand and acknowledge the pain and help those who are suffering.

City staff and members of the Waukesha County Historical Society will decommission the temporary memorial and curate items.

"Our first step, our first priority is to preserve and conserve what we are able to," Bonnie Byrd of the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum said.

Byrd said the work to preserve the items already started with community members who helped protect the site. A protective sheet was placed over the memorial during Tuesday's snowy weather.

Reilly previously announced the creation of a Waukesha Christmas Parade Permanent Memorial Commission, which is scheduled to be considered by the Waukesha Common Council on Jan. 18.

The Commission will work with the city and community leaders to determine the best location and monument to permanently honor those lost and injured.

"We have been united as a community to continue to support those who experienced the worst of that day on Nov. 21. And that we will continue to recover and heal," he said.

The Waukesha County Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Milwaukee and the Waukesha Education Foundation established the United for Waukesha Community fund to raise money for those impacted.