Mayor Rybak Hails Significant Donation to 35W Bridge Memorial
Law firms to donate $1.5 million to make memorial reality
August 23, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak issued the following statement on the news that the Robins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi and other law firms will donate $1.5 million to a memorial commemorating the August 1, 2007 collapse of the 35W bridge.
"On behalf of the City of Minneapolis, I extend my great thanks to the Robins and other law firms for their very generous donation to the long-awaited 35W bridge memorial. Their gift represents a new landmark in the history of civic giving in Minneapolis, and our entire city, region and state owes them a debt of gratitude.
"The firms’ announcement today comes on the heels of significant progress that we have made recently — in close collaboration with the Park Board, the memorial designers and the survivors and families of victims — on a redesigned memorial at a new location near the river. The major donation by Robins and the other firms is a very significant step forward in turning the memorial into reality.
"From the start, I have been committed both to building a memorial to the bridge collapse and to ensuring that the survivors and families of the victims of that terrible event lead that process. Now that today’s considerable gift has lifted the financial challenges that we faced, I will be seeking the families’ and survivors’ feedback and blessing to move forward with the Park Board and designers on building the memorial as soon as possible."
Published Aug. 23, 2010