The Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission (SHPMC), on behalf of the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Newtown, is inviting design submissions for a permanent memorial to honor and remember the 26 victims of 12/14.SandyHookPermanentMemorial.com as of September 22. Phase I design submissions will be accepted until December 15, 2017. Once accepted, SHPMC and an advisory panel will review designs and create a short list to move forward into Phase II.Comments, suggestions, and questions for the committee can be e-mailed to SandyHookPermanentMemorial@gmail.com.Additional information is available at SandyHookPermanentMemorial.com and Facebook.com/SandyHookPermanentMemorial. The committee can also be followed on Twitter at @SHPermMemorial.

In a press release issued September 20, SHPMC Chairman Kyle Lyddy spoke to potential designers while explaining the importance of the work.

"With your submission, we hope that you will be purposeful with your thoughts, keeping in mind the reason your design is being sought, and are sensitive to the many individuals and families who have been impacted by that horrific day."

All interested designers, including but not limited to landscape architects, architects, and artists, are invited to apply individually or as teams. Emerging design professionals are also encouraged to submit a design.

A document called "Guidelines for Submitting a Design" will be available at

"While we have outlined a detailed document as a base for your work, we are hopeful this doesn't limit the creativity of your submission," Mr Lyddy explained.

After a lengthy search for a site, the Town of Newtown received a donation of land by the Board of Trustees of the Social Boys & Athletic Club (SAC) of Sandy Hook for the memorial.

The site is a 5.3-acre property on Riverside Road, which contains two open areas (former playing fields), two ponds, and woodlands. It is situated in a semirural area close to Sandy Hook Center. Neighboring and nearby properties include private residences, town land, and farms.

Individuals interested in submitting a design will be allowed access to the memorial via scheduled site walks and by appointment only.

Mr Lyddy this week also expressed thanks to the members of SHPMC, past and present, and others in the community who have played a role in navigating this process over the past several years.

"It's an emotional task. We've attempted to be diligent with our approach while ensuring every decision we're making is guided by our mission statement of honoring those lost on that horrific day."