Waukesha To Consider Permanent Christmas Parade Memorial

WAUKESHA, WI — Six crosses surrounded by stuffed animals, flowers and messages remain intact at Veteran's Park in Waukesha.

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.

Now city officials have to decide how to preserve some of the items and what type of permanent memorial should go up.

"We are working on a plan to preserve as much of the temporary memorial as possible," City Administrator Kevin Lahner told Patch. "We see working with the Waukesha County Historical Society on this. The mayor plans to seat a commission to determine the next steps on a permanent memorial."

Patch readers shared their thoughts about a permanent memorial on social media. Some commenters offered suggestions on the type of memorial the city should create.

Tamara Forsythe suggested putting items in a display case in the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum or somewhere else in Waukesha.

"I'm not talking about the Dead flowers. I am talking about the $30 cross somebody left there that was bought at Stein's Garden and Gifts for Lee Owen. Talking about the jacket that somebody left there. I'm talking about the child's picture that they drew for their dead loved one," she said.

Shawn Ihm Dooley suggested a bench along the parade route in memory of the lives lost and the others affected.

Craig Stearns said the crosses should remain or be replaced with permanent ones.

Other commenters said the city should keep the temporary memorial at the park until after the holidays.

"Keep the temporary one for a while yet because people are still grieving and stopping by it, especially with the holidays, it’s needed," Emily Harris said.

Until there is a permanent memorial, it should be left as a place to mourn, Dave Dringenburg said.

"The temporary memorial is meaningful, hopefully it’s possible to both respect the space as-is, and keep using it until we have a permanent place to go," he said.

Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly and Common Council members took a moment to reflect on the city's 125th anniversary and the parade at its Tuesday meeting. Reilly also sealed a guitar-shaped time capsule that contained items to document the city's history, as well as an assortment of parade items such as baseball hats, dance team T-shirts, signs and newspaper clippings.