Hoboken Reporter, May 23, 2004

Dear Editor,

Thank you for the informative article (May 2) on the proposed memorial to those murdered at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

I was stunned, as I am sure many of your readers were, by the scope of the designs and the memorial's proposed location in Pier A Park.

Pier A Park is the best thing to happen to Hoboken in the 20 years that I have lived here. It is Hoboken's Central Park in the sense that it is the biggest open space for the enjoyment of all who live here, cherished by people of all socio-economic backgrounds. It is a magnet which brings us all together. It is used by thousands of people every weekend in the warm weather and by many more during the week and year round.

The placement of a large scale memorial in this location would effectively take away the park as it would no longer exist as a park, and in its place would be a huge memorial. My concern is that the park as we know it will no longer exist.

Another concern I have is that a memorial of this magnitude has the potential to draw many people in the same way that tourists flock to the site of the WTC. Tourists will surely come to what will be the new memorial park at Pier A if the proposed designs become reality.

The transformation of Pier A Park would also force the many Hoboken residents who worked at or near the WTC to be reminded whenever they go to the Hoboken waterfront of that horrible day. (I know of no survey but I suspect the number of Hoboken residents in or near the WTC that day is large, possibly thousands. In fact, I think such a survey should be taken.)

A memorial to the Hoboken residents who were murdered at the WTC is absolutely appropriate. My contention is only with the scope and location of such a memorial. It seems as though and I intend no offense, that the planners of this memorial do not grasp the enormous effects that the attacks had on many people who live in Hoboken.

With all due respect, I think it's too soon to decide what form the memorial should take. I believe the passage of more time will be needed to contemplate the scale and location of a fitting memorial. I do not think we should transform the crown jewel of our town, which is a place of happiness and life now, into a large-scale memorial which will draw crowds from out of town.

Such a decision should not be taken without the true consent of those who live here. I realize that a lot of effort has gone into the plans so far, but I think more community involvement is needed. It may be that one reason more Hoboken residents have not become involved up to now is that the wounds were just too raw to think about a memorial.

Please continue to publicize the current plans so the residents of Hoboken can be aware of what is planned and how they can have input into the process.

Kevin Barry McHugh