The 49 white Pulse crosses, originally on display for the public at the Orlando Regional Medical Center, are no longer available for the public to walk up and see as of this week.
Four weeks after the tragedy, they've been moved to the Orange County Regional History Center's climate controlled off-site storage facility.
According to Michael Perkins, Museum Manager of the History Center, there's no room at the center to store them.
Also he says, they "have no immediate plan to place them all on display in the near future."
Can the public ever see them again?
Yes, but it won't be as easy as walking up to ORMC and seeing them all lined up in a row.
Those interested in seeng a particular cross or a group of crosses must give the History Center advance notice of their desire to see them. The center will arrange transportation and schedule a delivery of the cross(es) to the history center. This process will take a few days.
According to Celeste Brown, Senior Advisor to the Mayor for Public Engagement, it was ORMC and not the City of Orlando that held the power to decide when the crosses should be taken down and removed from their property. ORMC was also responsible for the decision for them to go to the History Center "for protection because of their historical significance."
Brown says decisions on vigil events and the creation of unofficial places of mourning are "all community-driven" and that "the City's role is merely to go where we are invited and to offer our assistance where it is needed rather than direct any of those activities."
The only permanent memorial in Orlando that's been announced is one on the ORMC campus. The memorial will be walkway with brick pavers near Lake Beauty. Those will be installed "in the coming weeks"
The only permanent memorial in Orlando that's been announced is one on the ORMC campus. The memorial will be walkway with brick pavers near Lake Beauty. Those will be installed "in the coming weeks"
The City will be involved in second permanent memorial. The Mayor will "create a committee made up of community members to guide (the permanent memorial creation and location) process."
Screen grab from The Daily City's live video footage from the ORMC site
Screen grab from The Daily City's live video footage from the ORMC site