What is the Remembrance Garden?
The IV Love + Remembrance Garden is a living tribute to the students whose lives were lost in the tragic events of May 23, 2014. Located between People’s and Perfect Park in the heart of Isla Vista, this garden is more than a memorial: it’s a place for healing, reflection, and community connection. Winding paths, native plants, and hand-crafted benches invite visitors to pause and honor those we remember.
A Community-Built Memorial
Born from the vision of UCSB alum Jordan Killebrew, the project began as a grassroots effort to create a permanent public art installation. Killebrew launched Project IV<3, a platform that raised thousands of dollars in donations from students, local businesses, and community members. His vision found a home when Isla Vista Recreation & Park District (IVRPD) partnered to help bring the garden to life, with strong support from UCSB’s Office of Student Life, faculty, and student organizations.
The garden’s six custom-designed benches—each dedicated to a victim—were created by UCSB art students in collaboration with Killebrew. Their curved, circular shapes evoke embrace and unity, with light filtering through steel-cut designs inspired by memories shared by the victims’ families. Crafted with locally milled Cypress wood and forged by area artisans, the benches anchor a space that honors grief while also embodying growth.
A Living Space for Reflection
IVRPD staff installed the garden landscape with native and drought-tolerant species in partnership with UCSB’s Cheadle Center. A curving path of etched stones, community-planted trees, and resilient greenery gives the space its evolving character. The IV Love + Remembrance Garden stands as a lasting symbol of Isla Vista’s compassion, resilience, and the powerful bonds that unite its people.
