Brooklyn's Wall Of Remembrance

It figures - I just got back from a quick visit to New York, including my old neighborhood of Kings Highway, and had no idea that there was a monument in Brooklyn honoring the heroes of 9/11. And it was only about a mile away in Coney Island!

It's a 30 x 12 foot granite wall at MCU Stadium, which is located on the site of the old Steeplechase Park, which closed in 1964, when I was almost 10 years old. The old Cyclone roller coaster, Wonder Wheel and Parachute Jump are all still standing and visable from the stadium's left and right fields. It is the current home of the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team, an affiliate of the New York Mets and a member of the New York - Penn League. The stadium holds 7,500 people at capacity.

The monument, located on the outside wall to the stadium, depicts the faces of the 416 First Responders who gave their all on that day. I hadn't even heard of the Wall of Remembrance until I spoke with my favorite Aunt Gloria today. She hasn't seen it yet either, so I don't feel too left out. The following information is from the website Memorials in Brooklyn for Families. Their URL is as follows;

http://www.achildgrows.com/2011/09/07/911-memorials-in-nyc-for-families/

And here is the paragraph from the site which describes the memorial, which is located on Surf Avenue;

Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance

The Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance, located in Coney Island, pays tribute to the firefighters, port authority officers, New York City and New York State police officers, fire patrol, first responders and a K-9 rescue dog from Brooklyn who perished on 9/11. Created by Brooklyn-born and raised Sol Moglen, images are laser-engraved on a granite wall that also includes bronze carvings of the heroes. On September 8th, The Brooklyn Wall of Remembrance is also sponsoring the Witness to Tragedy and Recovery with Pace University, which will include a panel of photographers, videographers, psychologists and other scholars who will analyze the effects and lessons of news images on the public. Details: MCU Park-, 1904 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224-2410.

Apparently there are several memorials in Brooklyn, one is located at the old Staten Island Ferry pier on 69th Street. Many Brooklynites gathered there on the morning of September 11th, 2001, watching the tragedy unfold. Even some of the street signs have been changed to reflect the names of some of the victims who lived in the various neighborhoods. There are several more memorials in Brooklyn, all overshadowed by the National memorial at Ground Zero, but these local remembrances are somehow more personal, and emblematic, of the events of that day. It wasn't just a building that went down, it was a piece of everyone in all 5 boroughs, and the entire nation as well. Here is a list of the other monuments in Brooklyn;

Memorial in Coney Island
Memorial in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Firehouse Memorial in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Liberty Oaks 9/11 Memorial at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
FDNY Memorial in Downtown Brooklyn

These memorials are open 7 days a week, and unlike the one at Ground Zero, require no advance tickets or reservations. The only thing you need to bring is your heart.