BILLINGS — A Billings father has received formal approval to build a permanent memorial for his daughter after nearly a year of fighting to keep her memory alive.
Savanah Robinson was killed while riding as a passenger in a drunken-driving motorcycle crash last May. Her father, Lem Robinson, has been working to establish a lasting tribute to her ever since.
Watch Lem Robinson talk about the new memorial site:
The journey began with a memorial near the airport on Highway 3, where Savanah died. After a back-and-forth fight with the city over that location, Robinson pursued a more permanent solution.
"Well, it all started about a year ago, but with the permits, it's probably been seven, eight months," Robinson said.
The path forward opened when the city launched a new public art committee, designed to help local artists display their work at city-owned areas such as public parks.
Robinson says he was the first to apply.
"They started a program so you could do arts in the parks, and that's the program I got under and had to fill out for a minute. I'm the very first one," Robinson said.
Former Mayor Bill Cole said the committee carefully reviews each proposed project before granting approval.
"The idea was to have the community weigh in on what projects were needed and good," Cole said.
For Robinson, the process required stacks of paperwork and patience.
"Just had to fill out all the forms of how what it's gonna look like and where he wanted it," Robinson said.
Approval came on Monday.
Robinson chose Swords Park as the site for Savanah's memorial for a personal reason.
"It overlooks the college, and she liked to come up here and hang out," Robinson said.
Cole said the memorial carries a message that extends beyond one family's grief.
"There's an important story here. This is not, in my opinion, only a memorial to Savannah. It's also a piece of public art, and it's a reminder," Cole said.
A reminder, Cole said, of the dangers of impaired driving and the vulnerability of motorcyclists.
"This was just a tragic, tragic situation, every parent's worst nightmare. But thanks to Lem's hard work, it's my hope that some good things will come out of this tragedy," Cole said.
Construction is now underway. Robinson described what the finished memorial will look like.
"Then I'll have a bench, and I'll have the angel just on the edge of the rims," Robinson said.
The memorial is expected to be completed around Labor Day.
Related:
Billings father continues to fight for his daughter's memorial site
Billings father looking to change laws after his daughter died in motorcycle accident
