An Osceola County tribute to the 49 lives lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting on June 12, 2016 in Orlando had been planned in 2024, with renderings and money budgeted from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds received from the federal government in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A 2025 groundbreaking was originally set for “Wings of the Rainbow” at Brownie Wise Park, but after outcry from nearby residents and conservation groups that the scale and illumination of the design would be out of place in the park, the calendar turned to 2026 without any word about the project from county leaders.
The project resurfaced Wednesday— five days after the 10th anniversary of the shooting—when Commissioner Cheryl Grieb, the driving force behind the tribute, was part of an unveiling for the media after an exclusive groundbreaking for family members of a few of the Pulse victims…