The building that was the scene of the worst mass shooting in Ventura County history is due to be demolished.
Families of the 12 victims of the Nov. 7, 2018, massacre gathered at Borderline Bar and Grill on Rolling Oaks Drive in Thousand Oaks on Monday to gather the 12 crosses that have anchored a makeshift memorial for two years. They collected keepsakes and other items of sentimental value following a decision by the property owner to tear down the 46-year-old structure and redevelop once it became clear the bar didn’t plan to reopen there.
Michael Morisette, who lost his daughter, 20-year-old Kristina, in the shooting, said the elderly landlord wishes to continue to support the families and community, but “he needs to move forward to protect his investment in that property.”
Borderline owner Brian Hynes told the Acorn his lease on the 1.85-acre property expired in December.
Morisette said there is no date for demolition (a city permit has not been pulled) and no bids have been accepted to raze the 10,867-square-foot building, but he said the structure would be leveled soon.
“For two years, (the owner) has more than respected our privacy and has been beyond tolerant all the while we, as a community, have been treating his property like it was our own public sanctuary. In many ways, it has been,” Morisette said. “It’s difficult for everyone involved, not anyone’s first choice, but turns out to be inevitable.”
Family reaction to the news is mixed.
Some loved ones of the slain are frequent visitors and have kept the memorial stocked with a steady stream of fresh flowers and seasonal holiday decorations. Survivors and law enforcement officers also frequent the spot.
The building holds particular meaning for the family of Sgt. Ron Helus. Before Borderline, the building used to house Charley Brown’s, the restaurant where Ron proposed to his wife, Karen, and where the couple held their wedding reception. A small photo of Ron marks the spot on the front porch where he was shot.
Kathy Dunham and her husband, Ken, are at the memorial on a weekly basis in remembrance of their 21-year-old son, Jake. Kathy sometimes pours out beer for Jake near the spot where he was killed. The oncology nurse said she was devastated to lose the building.
“It’s killing me,” she said. “This was the last place where my son was alive. Where are we going to go now?”
Wendy Sparks, who lost her 21-year-old daughter, Noel, said the community will mourn the loss of the building because so many went there for healing in the wake of the massacre.
She said the healing garden at Conejo Creek Park North that was dedicated to the victims and survivors of the shooting on the one-year mark of the tragedy doesn’t have the same sanctity.