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- July 12, 2023 | King Road Demolition on Hold Until...
- Title:
- July 12, 2023 | King Road Demolition on Hold Until October
- Date:
- 2023-07-12
- Category:
- Presidential Memos
- Harvested from:
- https://perma.cc/628M-D8LN
- Type:
- Text
- Digital Format:
- text/html
- Reference Link:
- https://www.lib.uidaho.edu/digital/fridayletter/letters/president_memo_2023-07-12.html
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July 12, 2023 | King Road Demolition on Hold Until October
TO: University of Idaho Students and Employees
FROM: Scott Green, President
DATE: July 12, 2023
SUBJECT: King Road Demolition on Hold Until October
Since that fateful night in November, the house on King Road where four of our fellow Vandals were senselessly killed has stood as a stark reminder of what was lost. We lost our innocence and our sense of safety. We realized that evil can visit our town and we lost four bright souls from our Vandal Family.
In response to this tragedy, we have tried to do what is right, knowing full well there are no actions or decisions that will be met with full support. This is why the decision about what to do with the King Road house is so difficult. On the one hand, some people want it taken down. It is a constant reminder of the heinous acts that went on inside it. It is also a place that continues to draw unwanted attention from media, YouTubers and others. On the other hand, it elicits deep emotional responses from those who are working through grief and who fear that its destruction could impact the court case. We hear all these arguments, take them seriously and weigh them against the greater good for our university.
Because of this, upon the completion of the remediation of the house, including lead and asbestos abatement, we will pause demolition. We will revisit this decision in October. There is no legal requirement for leaving the house standing — both the prosecution and defense have released any interest in the house for their cases. We still fully expect to demolish the house, which was given to the university by the former owner. But we believe leaving the house standing, for now, is the right course to take.
In the meantime, we can focus on other aspects of healing. All personal items of the students who lived there were removed and families will soon be able to retrieve their loved ones’ possessions to the extent they wish to do so. We will continue to work discretely and respectfully with the families on this. In addition, calls for inspiration are coming in for the Vandal Healing Garden and Memorial that will be constructed on campus. This student-driven project will move into the classroom this fall as our students in the College of Art and Architecture develop plans for this shared healing space.
We appreciate how you have all responded with empathy and patience. It is through collaboration such as this that the Vandal Family will continue to heal.
Scott Green
President
president@uidaho.edu