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SOUTHGATE, Ky. - Forty-six years to the day of the tragic fire that claimed 165 lives at the Beverly Hills Supper Club, a permanent memorial was dedicated Sunday in a moving ceremony that inspired memories of the deceased and tributes to those who fought the fire and tended to the injured.

We gather here today to remember those who lost their lives 46 years ago today, said Southgate Mayor Jim Hamberg. I pray this Memorial will give their families, friends and loved ones some peace and a place to come and remember because we must never forget, and we never will, what happened on that fateful and tragic night.

The memorial includes the names of those who lost their lives in the 1977 fire.

The Beverly Hills Memorial was dedicated along U.S. 27 at Memorial Pointe Drive before a crowd estimated at 300 on the anniversary of the 1977 fire. Moments of silence, prayers and the solemn sound of a bagpipe provided the backdrop for an emotional and appropriate afternoon of remembrance.

We also gather today to give thanks to the many firefighters, police officers, first responders, Red Cross workers, and volunteers who did their best and gave everything they could to save as many lives as possible, Mayor Hamberg said.

Southgate Volunteer Fire Department Chief JohnBeatschwas a young volunteer firefighter who was among the hundreds of first responders who fought the fire, helped care for the injured and ultimately saved many lives.

I think I can speak for the firefighters who were there, when I say that May 28, 1977, was the worst day of our firefighting career, ChiefBeatschsaid. But I believe it was also our finest hour.Every firefighter who was there either risked their life or was willing to risk their life to try and save those trapped. Over 2,000 patrons got out alive.

Even when it was clear that no one left in the building could be saved, firefighters went back into the building over and over to try and remove the bodies of those who perished, he said. To this day, that haunts all of us who were there. It always will.

David Brock of Independence was an 18-year-old bus boy at Beverly Hills the night of the fire. For more than four decades, he has been a tireless advocate for remembering those who died in the fire as well as the family, loved ones and friends they left behind.

To me, this memorial represents closure, Brock said. It is important to have a place where the families and friends of those who died can go to remember those they lost. It is important for our community to make sure we never forget.

The Beverly Hills Memorialfeatures names of those who lost their lives; a list of local first responder units that responded to the fire; a list of the federal and state fire safety regulations that were implemented because of the fire; the recollections of a firefighter; and photos of the Beverly Hills Supper Club. The Memorial sitewill become a park maintained by the City of Southgate.

Among those involved on the memorial planning committee include Tim Rolf ofRolf Monument, Northern Kentucky first responders and community members and individuals with personal connections to the fire.

The 80-acre Beverly Hills property is currently being transformed into Memorial Pointe, a residential community being developed byAshley Builders Groupin conjunction withVision Realty Group. The companies provided the land and funding for the design and construction of the monument along with Fischer Homes, which is building homes in the development and provided for the landscape improvements.

When we started this project, we set out to create something special here, said Vision Realty Group Managing Partner Matt Olliges. We chose to name the community Memorial Pointe because we knew that honoring the history of this site, honoring the memory of the lives that were lost here and the lives that were forever changed as a result of what happened here with a permanent memorial would be of the utmost importance.

And we chose to place the memorial at the front entrance to the community as a way of making sure that what happened on this site is never forgotten.

Memorial Pointe will include 84 single-family homes, 200 luxury apartments and an assisted living facility of 79 residential units.

Also attending Sundays Memorial dedication were Commissioner of the Department for Local Government Dennis Keene, a Campbell County resident; Campbell County Judge-executive StevePendery; former Southgate Mayors Ron Blanchet, Ken Paul, who served as mayor the night of the fire; and current and former members of Southgate City Council.

Several elected officials and government bodies provided proclamations and resolutions recognizing and honoring the Memorial dedication, including:

Kentucky U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, who represents Kentuckys 4th Congressional District.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.

Kentucky State Sen. Shelley Funke-Frommeyerand the Kentucky Senate.

Kentucky State Rep. Rachel Roberts and the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Campbell County Fiscal Court.

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Beverly Hills Memorial dedicated on 46th anniversary of fatal fire - Kentucky Today