Healing garden to honor victims, survivors of Borderline shooting

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (KABC) -- In less than two months, a healing garden honoring the victims and survivors of the Borderline shooting will be completed.

The garden will feature 12 symbolic granite stone slab benches, 12 fountain bubbler jets in a pond and 248 paving stones to represent the survivors. A plaque will include the names of those who were killed on Nov. 7, 2018.

"We don't want to experience this again. But we will never forget it either," said Thousand Oaks Mayor Rob McCoy.

It was an extraordinarily challenging time for the Thousand Oaks community.

Less than 24 hours after the shooting, the Woolsey Fire broke out, destroying homes and triggering evacuations.

McCoy said city leaders prioritized building this memorial.

"We wanted to make sure we had a memorial park by the anniversary because the city needs a place to come at the one year anniversary, and it will give us our chance to do what we couldn't do that day, and that's to really have a cathartic, meaningful experience," he said.

Community members who remember that night with a heavy heart welcome the garden, which is designed to create a space for prayer and meditation.

You can follow the construction progress here.

A dedication ceremony will take place on the one year anniversary of the shooting.