Garden for Arena bomb victims
A MEMORIAL to the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena bombing will be placed within a gladed Garden Of Light.
A stone ring “halo” centrepiece will bear the names of the victims – such as the youngest, eight-year-old Saffie Roussos – after talks with families of those killed.
It is part of a scheme to improve the Medieval Quarter, near the cathedral, a short distance from the Arena in the city centre where Salman Abedi carried out his attack.
The Isis-inspired fanatic, 22, left 111 survivors needing hospital treatment from his suicide blast after an Ariana Grande concert in 2017.
Manchester council leader Sir Richard Leese said the garden, named Glade Of Light, would be a tranquil space.
But those wishing to mark the anniversary on Friday and honour those who tragically lost their lives are being urged by the council to stay at home to pay tribute because of the virus. Prayers and readings will instead be live streamed through Manchester Cathedral’s Facebook page.
Sir Richard said: “Those who were killed, those who lost loved ones and all those whose lives changed for ever that night are for ever in our thoughts.
“We will be thinking of them on May 22 and, importantly, plans for a permanent memorial, a tranquil space for contemplation which can be used year-round, are progressing well.”
Professor Malcolm Press, chair of the Manchester Memorials Advisory Group, said: “We are determined to ensure a fitting memorial. Getting to this point has taken great care and it is good we can share some detail.”
The council urged people to avoid the city centre on the third anniversary and not to leave tributes.
The names of the murdered will be read out and cathedral bells will toll 22 times. People watching the live stream will be invited to light a candle. The council will submit a planning application for the memorial in June.
In March, Salman Abedi’s younger brother Hashem Abedi was found guilty of 22 counts of murder for his role in planning the outrage. But the judge Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said sentencing was a “little way off”.
An inquiry into the attack was due to start in June but the coronavirus pandemic has provisionally set that back to September.
The inquests into the 22 deaths were converted into a public inquiry last year so sensitive evidence from MI5 and anti-terror police could also be heard.