We are deeply honored to have been chosen to design the memorial commemorating the victims of the 2021 Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy. With our office so close to the parade route, we were impacted by the events, and wanted our design to illustrate the strength of our community with everybody coming together in the days and weeks after the incident. The individual concrete ribbons, each representing one of the lives lost in the tragedy, weave through the park and come together to form a central heart.
- Jeremy D. Bartlett, Firm Principal
The Grede Park Memorial now stands as a place of remembrance, reflection, and healing for the Waukesha community. Designed and built with care by Thrive Architects, VJS Construction, Cost of Wisconsin, and many dedicated partners, the memorial honors the six lives lost and the countless others forever impacted by the tragedy.
Alongside this site, a memorial statue located in downtown Waukesha provides another meaningful place to pause, reflect, and remember. Together, these spaces serve as lasting symbols of unity, resilience, and love. They ensure that those we lost are never forgotten while offering the community places to gather, heal, and find peace.
