Groundbreaking Ceremony for Waukesha Parade Memorial

The community is invited to attend the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Parade Memorial at Grede Park on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, beginning at 5pm.

The ceremony will include remarks from City of Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly; Jeremy Bartlett, Architect/Firm Principal, from Thrive Architects; Craig Jorgensen, President and Chief Executive Officer from VJS Construction Services; and Melissa Baxter, President of the Waukesha County Community Foundation. The United for Waukesha Resiliency Center will also be present with resources and support for those affected by the tragedy.

The ceremony will be held at Grede Park, located near 538 Riverwalk Drive, Waukesha, WI. For those coming to the ceremony, please note that Riverwalk Dr. from Wisconsin Ave. to the Bethesda Park bridge will only be open to the media and those needing accessible parking (handicap parking permit required). Please enter off Wisconsin Ave. All others will need to utilize street parking, parking lots, or parking ramps near Downtown and walk to the park. A City parking map is available online: waukeshawi.gov/parking .

Construction of the Parade Memorial at Grede Park will continue through next fall. The Memorial is planned to be dedicated on November 21, 2024, the third anniversary of the parade tragedy.

This project is possible through the community’s donations and numerous partnerships with the City of Waukesha. Thrive Architects designed the Memorial. VJS Construction Services is overseeing the construction of the Memorial and is offering some of their services at no cost. The Waukesha County Community Foundation (WCCF) is also a partner on this project by advising on fundraising efforts and by administering the Waukesha Christmas Parade Permanent Memorial Fund at a zero percent fee.

While the initial fundraising goal for this project has been achieved, donations are still being accepted for the Parade Memorial Fund. Once the construction costs have been met, any further fundraising and gifts will be used to establish a maintenance fund for the memorial, held at the Waukesha County Community Foundation, ensuring long-term sustainability.

Anyone who wishes to show their support for the Parade Memorial can do so by visiting the Parade Memorial page: waukesha-wi.gov/paradememorial

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