Council approves Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children memorial and $80,000 contribution agreement
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Summary
Council approved an $80,000 contribution agreement with the Greater Columbus Arts Council and accepted title and maintenance responsibilities for a Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children public-art memorial on the Scioto Mile; organizers said the memorial will honor victims and advance prevention and healing.
Columbus City Council voted to authorize contribution agreements and up to $80,000 in city support for a public-art memorial proposed by Mothers of Murdered Columbus Children (MOMCC), to be installed near the Scioto Mile close to COSI.
Melissa Sinclair, founder and CEO of MOMCC, described the memorial as a place for remembrance and healing, recounting personal stories of families and explaining that the project grew from an effort to reclaim "locks of love" removed during bridge maintenance. "This memorial is more than metal... it is where love overrules tragedy," Sinclair said.
Jamie Goldstein, representing the Greater Columbus Arts Council, described the project timeline and selection process: artist qualifications are due Dec. 22, the jury will select finalists in January, and finalist artists will be paid stipends to submit proposals. The GCAC will manage artist selection and community engagement, with public opportunities planned before juror deliberations.
City staff said the installation will be added to the city's public-art collection upon final acceptance and that maintenance responsibilities and necessary approvals would be completed as part of the contribution agreement.
Next steps: The project moves into artist-selection and public-engagement phases; GCAC and project partners said they expect installation planning to proceed toward a 2026 completion window.