Hapeville Daycare Memorial Garden

Location: Hapeville, GA

Client: City of Hapeville

Size: 0.10 ac

Completed: Ongoing

Contractor: TBD

This new Memorial Garden inthe small town of Hapevile in the southern Atlanta Metro will commemorate the lives lost during the tragic explosion and ensuing fire at the children’s nursery located at 0 South Whitney Ave. We were tasked with the design of a public space that not only expresses the sorrow and grief experienced on that day in 1968, but also highlights the sense of community that emerged in the aftermath of the tragedy.

The construction of the Memorial Garden is a thoughtful, benevolent use of the barren plot at Whitney and South Central Avenues. Sadly, the gas explosion that claimed the lives of seven children and two nursery workers has been forgotten by many, and is unknown to others—even though it was the impetus for the important 811 Call Before You Dig program. With this memorial garden, the memories of those nine precious lives will be preserved, and the heroic actions of the nursery employees, residents, and emergency responders who saved 37 children and infants will be honored. In addition to being a memorial, the park will serve as a means of educating the public about the tragic events that unfolded.

The feature of the memorial garden will be an original sculpture by renowned local artist, Lonnie Holley, who has works displayed in the chambers of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the National Gallery of Art, the High Museum of Atlanta, and the Royal Academy of Arts in London. In addition to being an internationally recognized artist, Holley also has intimate experience with the grief of losingseveral family members to a house fire. He will lean on this understanding to help communicate the emotional pain and suffering that was present in the community on that horrible day in 1968.

The Memorial Garden is intended to be a serene, welcoming, and introspective space. The garden is elevated above the sidewalk level. A Corten steel retaining wall will be inscribed with poetry about loss and grief, and will guide visitors to the stair and ramp that take them up to the garden. To the rear of the park, a brick wall will demarcate the original outline of the house that contained the daycare. Hedges behind this wall will screen the memorial garden from the adjacent Delta parking lot.  A slate chip area with boulders for seating will be nestled among a grove of trees. From there, visitors can sit and contemplate the custom Corten steel Lonnie Holley sculpture, elevated on bermed earth and surrounded by tall grasses. At the other end of the memorial garden, custom benches offer another area for contemplation. These are oriented to both the sculpture and to two Corten steel walls, depicting the story of the tragedy and a list of the names of the victims. It is here that visitors and residents may have a profound experience reflecting on suffering, fragility, heroism, dedication, and resilience.

The new Hapeville Memorial Garden will be a tranquil and inviting public space that pays tribute to a significant historical event. Our vision is to blend the past with the future, crafting a unique and memorable experience for visitors.