A permanent memorial to the victims of the 2012 Newtown school shooting has now welcomed visitors for over a full year and will remain open to the public through Thursday, which marks 11 years since the tragedy.
The site at 32A Riverside Road includes paths and a water feature nestled in a clearing of woods. A ledge surrounding the water feature includes engravings of the names of the 20 children and 6 educators killed in the 2012 attack.
Alan Martin, a retired university administrator and longtime Sandy Hook resident, served as vice chairman of the commission that oversaw the memorial鈥檚 design and construction.
鈥淓veryone says the same thing: What a beautiful site,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淭he location, the serenity, surrounded by woods. It鈥檚 really gotten to be far better than what we expected.鈥�
He said the response from visitors to the 鈥渃ontemplative, tranquil鈥� atmosphere at the site has been overwhelmingly positive.
鈥淚鈥檝e probably been on boards and commissions for 50 years,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淭his is my proudest 鈥� sort of a capstone, the most important board I鈥檝e ever served on.鈥�
Martin said after Thursday, on which no official ceremonies are planned, the memorial will close for the season and reopen in the spring.
The monument was dedicated in a private ceremony in November of 2022 attended by survivors, first responders, community members and officials including Gov. Ned Lamont before the memorial opened to the public.
