The Governor has failed to listen to the reasonable and
passionate opposition by the overwhelming majority of park users who learn about
it. Over 250 park users at the Friends 8/16 public meeting and over 2000 park
users wrote him or signed petitions opposing the memorial that severely harms
LSP. The Friends also thanks Assemblyman Lou Manzo, Senator Joseph Doria,
Assemblywoman Joan Quigley, Mayor Jerry Healy, Freeholder Bill O’Dea, and JC
Councilman Steve Lipski for supporting the relocation of the 30 feet high by 200
feet long stainless steel Walls inserted into a 10 foot high by 200 feet long
Hill.
It is wrong to block one of the world’s best and most important views and rob
the Public Plaza where free concerts, festivals, and panoramic skyline and river
views were enjoyed. Blocking views toward Ground Zero from the closest and most
dramatic point in LSP, erecting long and high stainless walls between New Jersey
and New York, and next to the 1889 Terminal is a terrible injustice.
The Friends officers feel that the most practical solution would be to relocate
the memorial to “Millennium Park”, the 10 acre lawn along Zapp Drive that is
just west of LSP’s Freedom Way and just east of the peaceful Grove of
Remembrance, the living memorial of 691 trees planted in 2003 to memorialize
NJ’s 9/11 victims.
Though the DEP may come up with other sensible locations, the clear benefits of
“Millennium Park” are that the walls could still line up with where the Twin
Towers stood, and the memorial would be logically adjacent to the Grove of
Remembrance so visitors, including the ferry tourists, who would just need to
cross Freedom Way from the ferry parking lot, could experience the Walls and the
beautiful Grove of Remembrance.
We have tremendous compassion for 9/11 victims' families and support this 2nd
memorial but not at expense of the views and Plaza. Please continue to persist
in the efforts to protect sacred views of NYC and of the river and to regain the
Public Plaza. Thanks very much.