WESTFIELD – Residents will soon have a visible memorial to the city’s sons and daughter lost in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.
As part of the construction of the Great River Bridges and city parks around the bridges, a 9/11 memorial was erected in the form of a $32,500 obelisk in the park on North Elm Street in front of the Westwood building.
The memorial will include a plaque with the names of Brian Murphy, Daniel Trant and Tara Shea Creamer, all Westfield natives, who were killed on 9/11. City Engineer Mark Cressotti said the base of the obelisk is sloped on one side to allow for a plaque to have some protection from the elements.
“We are working on the plaque right now,” said Cressotti, adding that there are several plaques needed throughout town to identify parks and for whom they are named and why.
Cressotti said the design for the construction of the bridges and parks was in the works when the country was attacked.
“The design took a long time, from 1994-2006, so when the event occurred, it was a natural to include the memorial,” he said.
Cressotti said the memorial is an appropriate reminder, as is the Pearl Harbor Memorial at the park on the north side of the bridge.
“Sept. 11 was the largest attack on the United States – similar in magnitude to Pearl Harbor,” he said. “But this was a citizen attack. It reflects a difference in the world we are in.”
“We don’t fight the same types of wars anymore – the cultural issues have changed.” said Cressotti. “What we expect is freedoms and rights . . . the world is a more dangerous place.”
Cressotti said the loss felt that day, especially here with the deaths of three city natives, still resounds today.
Although the plaque will not be in place in time for the grand opening celebration of the completion of the bridge and surrounding parks, Cressotti said he hopes to have it installed before this Sept. 11.
