I think this is a great idea. It's timely and very appropriate. Guy Wilson
About 17 acres around the Chardon sledding chalet could be turned into the Chardon Living Memorial Park in remembrance of the victims of the Feb. 27, 2012 shooting at Chardon High School.
A start date on the park depends on how soon supporters can raise $300,000, the goal set for the project, according to plans presented to Chardon City Council last Thursday and Chardon school board Monday.
Chardon High School seniors Katie Kalis and Frankie Pickard, student council president and vice president respectively, told both boards work on the memorial park won’t begin until all the funds are raised.
Steve Turpin, vice president of promotions for Chardon Tomorrow, is serving as project manager, while former Chardon Police Chief Tim McKenna is leading fundraising efforts with the help and support of several volunteers.
“I haven’t heard anything negative from students — it’s all positive support,” said Kalis following the council meeting. “They like the renderings of the park they’ve been shown. Everybody is on the same page for this.”
The memorial park will consist of a playground, an outdoor physical fitness course with equipment and an improved nature trial located on property adjacent to the chalet at the north end of Basquin Drive.
All three park components would be started and completed simultaneously once all the funds have been raised, Kalis and Pickard said.
The park would possibly include life-size copper statues of youth doing a variety of activities, an idea supported by the steering committee. The statues would cost about $5,000 and have memorial plaques attached to them, said City Manager Randy Sharpe.
Plans for the proposed memorial park have been developed by an approximately 25-member memorial steering committee including Kalis, Pickard, McKenna, Sharpe, Chardon?High School Principal Andy Fetchik and several others.
Among those attending a March 11 steering committee meeting were Dina Parmertor and Jeannie King, the mothers of students Danny Parmertor and Russell King Jr., who were killed in the shooting along with Demetrius Hewlin.
The steering committee’s mission statement “is to create a permanent physical memorial for our community to honor the lives lost, celebrate the survivors and acknowledge a community that came together to support one another in the aftermath of the Chardon High School shooting,” Sharpe told city council.
Using its status as a nonprofit organization, Chardon Tomorrow has agreed to act as fiscal agent for the project by establishing an account for the Chardon Living Memorial Park where donations can be made, Kalis and Pickard said.
Among the financial safeguards is external auditing to ensure accuracy in the accounting and the managements of funds.
“Everything will be transparent as to where the money is at,” said McKenna in an interview prior to the council meeting. “We don’t have time to set up our own 501 (c)(3) (nonprofit organization), but this (project) fits Chardon Tomorrow’s mission statement and they have agreed to help.”
So far, $46,000 has been donated to Chardon Schools by a Lake County school district, while other money has been pledged by various civic organizations, McKenna said.
No public fundraising efforts will begin until park plans are approved by both city council and the school board, he added.
At Monday’s school board meeting, Kalis said the park’s walking trail will be accessible from the high school student parking.
“We believe we have a plan that fits the needs of the families of the victims, first responders and the community — something every one can enjoy and remember the day (Feb 27, 2012) respectfully,” said Fetchik at Monday’s school board meeting.
He said the board will be asked to formally endorse the plan in the near future.
“I think this is a great idea. It’s timely and very appropriate,” said school board President Guy Wilson after being shown a rendering of the park. “Speaking from my perspective as an individual, I definitely support this.”
