Orlando’s longest-serving mayor, Mayor Buddy Dyer, is backing the plan to build a permanent memorial at the site of the Pulse nightclub shooting. After announcing the effort on social media, Florida Rep. Anna V. Eskamani (D) expressed support for creating the Pulse Memorial.
Taking to social media to provide an update on the future of the Pulse Memorial, Mayor Dyer shared that he had “recently met with some families of the victims, and survivors of the Pulse tragedy, who shared their desire for a permanent memorial at the Pulse site.” Mentioning that the effort to accomplish this has been a challenging one, there is a plan for “the memorial to be built somewhere besides the actual Pulse site.”
Dyer met with survivors and family members of the victims, adding that “in the interest of solving challenges in a way that brings our community together in love, acceptance and partnership, which is the enduring legacy of Pulse, we have decided to purchase the land from its current owners.”
“Given that the City has not been a part of this process, our plan is to first acquire the land, and then determine the appropriate next steps,” Dyer added.
The proposed land purchase is expected to go before the City council for approval on October 23, 2023.
Responding to the update, Rep. Eskamani took to social media to express her support for the effort, calling it “the right thing to do.”
“The site of Pulse is sacred for so many of us and should not be sold to the highest bidder,” she said, adding that she is “grateful for the City of Orlando for listening to Pulse families and taking this important step.”
