First Phase Of Boston Marathon Bombings Memorial Installation Begins
BOSTON (CBS/AP) — A memorial to victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings is taking shape.
Light pillars that form the nucleus of the memorial were installed Wednesday morning near the old Forum restaurant on Boylston Street. The monument also will incorporate decorative bronze-cast light poles and four bronze spires.
The Marathon Markers will be a testament to the spirit and resiliency of the people of Boston, and a way to honor those we have lost, and those who are still healing.
— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) July 10, 2019
As part of that work, today, bronze spires and glasswork are being installed on Boylston Street.#BostonStrong pic.twitter.com/R4LWZK4w3z
"It represented as close as you could get to what it feels like to lose someone in a thing like this, which a really hard thing to get into unless you've experienced it yourself," said Gloucester artist Pablo Eduardo.
#BostonStrong #MarathonMarkers @wbz pic.twitter.com/YiMTtUsJi6
— Nick Giovanni (@NickGNews) July 10, 2019
This will be the first phase of the installation. Phase two will happen next week at the Finish Line site, where similar markers will be constructed on that part of the memorial.
Planning began four years ago for the $2 million memorial, which has undergone substantial redesign to satisfy the hopes and expectations of families who lost loved ones in the two bombings.
Three spectators were killed and more than 260 others were wounded in the April 15, 2013, attacks, and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer later was shot and killed by the bombers as they tried to steal his gun.
Artist Eduardo also says the monument is more than just a marker of souls.
"[It represents] who we are as a City of Boston and how we all dealt with the tragedy and how we remember," he said.
Eduardo worked together with victims' families to come up with a design that would make people 'stop and think.'
"It was a bad day, so you don't want something big, intrusive or too showy," one Boston man said.
The project is expected to be finished completely in the next several weeks.
"I think it's important just to memorialize what happened here. It's about the resilience of Boston and the way the city came together. It's important to mark that moment in history and it's important to do it the right way," said Patrick Brophy, City of Boston chief of operations.
Boston Officials also envision a larger monument that will involve input from bombing survivors.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)