A proposal to establish a permanent memorial at Bondi Beach to honour the 15 victims of the 14 December terror attack will be considered by Waverley Council this week.
A Mayoral Minute will be presented to today’s meeting by Mayor, Will Nemesh, outlining a framework for a special committee tasked with deciding on a public art concept and guiding its delivery.
“This is the first significant step towards a lasting and formal commemoration of those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones, survivors, the Jewish community, Waverley and everyone impacted on that horrific day,” Mayor Nemesh said.
“We owe it to them to create something lasting, which clearly demonstrates that we will never forget what happened here.”
A draft Terms of Reference proposes the membership of the proposed Bondi Park Memorial Artwork Committee including a wide range of representatives from key stakeholders including:
- Council
- The NSW Government
- Families of victims and survivors of the attack
- The Jewish community (Including the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Executive Council of Australian Jewry)
- Waverley’s arts and culture community
- Bondi Chabad
- The broader Waverley community.
“In establishing this committee, we are ensuring the right people have a place at the table – families and survivors, representatives of the Jewish community, emergency services and first responders, artists and the Waverley community,” Mayor Nemesh said.
“No single person could ever tackle the enormous task of determining what this memorial should be, but we can build it together.
“That will require time, patience, care and collaboration. We will not rush this important process.”
The proposed memorial artwork would be placed in the Archer Park area of Bondi Park. The exact location will be confirmed as part of the committee’s deliberations.
Council Officers will assist in drafting a brief for the Committee’s approval, running select invitation expressions of interest, reviewing concepts, presentation to the committee, and fabrication and installation of the artwork.
“Ultimately, my hope is that this memorial says something very simple – we remember,” Mayor Nemesh said.
“We remember the people taken from us, those left behind, the survivors and their difficult recoveries, and the courage of everyday heroes and first responders who ran towards danger to help others.
“And we remember the compassion, humanity and community spirit that prevailed, which hatred can never defeat.”
The delivery timeframe will be determined by the committee. It is proposed the budget for the memorial artwork will be $500,000.
“We cannot change what happened at Bondi, but we can decide what comes next,” Mayor Nemesh said.
“We can choose to remember those who were lost, stand beside those who survived, honour those who ran towards danger and build something that speaks to the kind of community we want to be.
“That is what this memorial can become.”
