ORLANDO, Fla. — The results of a major survey about the future of the Pulse Nightclub site were shared with the public at a meeting Saturday afternoon.
Thousands of people have weighed in on plans for a permanent memorial at the spot where 49 people were killed June 2016.
Pulse owner Barbara Poma went over the results at the meeting at the Alafaya branch library.
The onePulse Foundation received about 2200 responses from survivors, family members of the victims, first responders and the community.
The survey asked questions like whether the memorial should speak to terrorism or hate crimes.
"The biggest questions were how people want to feel when they're there," said Poma.
But Poma told Channel 9 earlier this month that the biggest source of debate seemed to be whether to keep the building, or at least a footprint to define its size.
The results were almost exactly split on that issue, with 55 percent saying it was important to demolish it and 45 percent saying it was not.
Jose Diaz-Roman said he lost friends in the tragedy and wants the structure to stay.
"That would be the principle connection, not only to the tragedy but the 49 lives that were taken, but to what Pulse was for the community," said Diaz-Roman.
Survivors and neighbors weighed in on what they would like to see in the memorial, like and emphasis on the number 49, and what they would not like to see, like references to shooter Omar Mateen.
"I don't think he deserves any mentioning at all," said Diaz-Roman.
Plans for an interim memorial were also discussed at the meeting.
"I'm inspired every day to keep going forward with this project. To me, it's an honor to have this task," said Poma.