The 9/11 flag memorial, displayed last year in Inwood Hill Park, will move to Battery Park this year.
Here is the media release:
American flags displaying the names of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center will be flying in a memorial field in Battery Park from Fri., Sept. 7 to Thurs., Sept. 13. After hosting a 9/11 memorial field in Inwood Hill Park last year, Inwood resident Mike Hughes, who assisted in recovery efforts after the attacks, will be spearheading the second annual commemoration at the doorstep of ground zero.
"The NYC 9/11 Memorial Field is set up as a public display, a place to fly the flags. It's a somber field, like a healing field, and a place for people to reflect," Hughes said. He added that for the general public who are not allowed within the ground zero construction site and for the families who are only allowed at the site for a few hours on Sept. 11, the memorial site at the Eisenhower Mall at the north end of Battery Park will be open to everyone for seven days, 24 hours a day. The mall is located next to the golden sphere, which was damaged in the attacks, but salvaged from the site and re-installed in Battery Park.
Like last year, Hughes is relying on the support of local unions to fund the cost of 3,000 new flags, roughly one for each victim. Community residents will gather again at Good Shepherd Church in Inwood this year to assemble the flags and prepare them for installation in the park downtown.
Unlike last year the flags will be displayed in batches of 500 and rotated each day, as the space at Battery Park is not big enough to accommodate all 3,000 flags at once.
Hughes is working with public officials including Borough President Scott Stringer to organize an opening ceremony on Sept. 7 around noon.
For more information about the memorial field or to volunteer contact Mike Hughes: (917) 523-3754.
Photo: Baslow/Flickr
