A number of visions for a memorial marking the mass capturing of seven farmworkers in Half Moon Bay have been displayed on the second anniversary of the lethal rampage.
On Jan. 23, 2023, the small coastal city was rocked when farmworker Chunli Zhao allegedly went on a capturing rampage at two mushroom farms, gunning down seven individuals. It was the deadliest capturing within the historical past of San Mateo County and revealed the deplorable working circumstances that some agricultural laborers endure.
“On this day we remember them, we recognize what happened to them and what happened to our community,” stated former Half Moon Bay mayor Joaquin Jimenez in an interview. “This event changed our history.”
Town’s Farmworker Memorial Remembrance and Advisory Committee, created within the wake of the capturing, has been working with nonprofit teams to plan a plan to determine a memorial construction in honor of the victims. The only farmworker who survived extreme accidents in the course of the capturing is on the committee.
Out of 9 plans for the memorial, 4 have been chosen as finalists by the committee. Poster boards with renderings of every concept have been displayed at Mac Dutra Plaza on Thursday throughout a memorial gathering to be able to gauge group suggestions on the concepts.
“We’re trying to gather community feedback first,” stated Julissa Acosta in an interview. Acosta works within the Half Moon Bay Metropolis Supervisor’s Workplace as a administration analyst in group companies.
“We’ll go to other commissions and committees, and then ultimately end with City Council to determine what the final design will be,” Acosta stated.
The gazebo at Elbert Kitty Fernandez Park in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. The park is the proposed location of a everlasting memorial to commemorate the victims of the Jan. 23, 2023 mass capturing in Half Moon Bay. (Alise Maripuu/Bay Metropolis Information)
The proposed location for the memorial is at Elbert “Kitty” Fernandez Park, a small concrete open area on the nook of Fundamental and Filbert streets. The entire concepts embody a whole renovation of the park so as to add extra greenery and new concrete bricks.
Two concepts are from one artist with a concentrate on manipulating gentle and shadow to create visible patterns.
The primary contains seven different-colored lanterns positioned towards a crescent-shaped concrete wall. The lanterns comprise intricate cutout designs in order that when gentle shines towards them, patterns are mirrored onto the wall.
The second rendering makes use of a gazebo that’s already on the park. Seven panels are inserted as partitions to the gazebo, every with their very own coloured lantern positioned within the middle of the panel. Like the primary design, gentle shining into the lanterns with cutouts create shadow patterns.
These designs are the least costly of the 4, with an estimated value of half 1,000,000 {dollars}, Acosta stated.
A couple of Half Moon Bay residents responded properly to those concepts, noting that using the gazebo and vibrant colours have been interesting.
Two of the design ideas for a everlasting construction to memorialize the victims of the Jan. 23, 2023 mass capturing in Half Moon Bay, Calif. The designs have been introduced for group suggestions on the second anniversary of the capturing on Thursday, Jan. 23. (Alise Maripuu/Bay Metropolis Information)
The opposite two concepts have been additionally given choice by some group members as a result of they’d essentially the most greenery, which appropriately symbolizes the work finished by agricultural staff.
The third design options boulders inscribed with quotes and concrete benches encircling a water fountain. It’s surrounded by grass and cherry blossom bushes.
The estimated value of this design is about $1 million, Acosta stated.
The fourth concept is essentially the most elaborate and expensive of the 4, containing backyard walkways that weave by way of varied sculptures. It options seven boulders to symbolize the seven victims, in addition to water fountains, an archway, and statues of laboring farmworkers.
The anticipated value of this plan is round $3 million.
No matter what plan is chosen, the whole course of from approval to building is anticipated to take about three years to finish.
The committee will current a extra formal presentation of the choices to the general public within the coming months, Acosta stated.
“We just wanted to present a preview to the community so we can get their feedback first,” she stated.
