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Beam from WTC to take roots near Cascades

Thursday, September 9, 2004

Staff Writer

Three years after the tower it supported fell, a beam from the World Trade Center is getting a new home in Sparks Foundation County Park.

On Saturday, a group of volunteers will gather on the north side of the Cascades to dedicate the beam and remind Jackson residents of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

"I wanted to make certain that people in Jackson don't forget about the tragedy," said former state Sen. Phil Hoffman, who spent the past three years ensuring the beam would find a home in the public eye. "I don't want people to ever minimize the deaths of American civilians."

While serving as a state senator, Hoffman obtained the twisted steel beam with the permission of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. It was believed to be part of an outside support beam on the second tower and was found nearly 40 feet underground, a block away from the original location.

In September 2002, the beam went on display in the courtyard of the Ella Sharp Museum to commemorate the first anniversary of the attacks, before going into storage at Midbrook Products Inc.

On Wednesday morning, workers prepared the park site for the beam's placement and installed its new concrete base.

The work will be done at no cost to the taxpayers. Alro Steel, Anderson Concrete, Midbrook Products and Jackson Glass Co. have donated to the project. RJ Michaels Inc. will provide the monument's plaque.

"We're as proud as can be to have it in the park in an accessible area," said Jim Guerriero, director of Jackson County Parks Department. "It should all be ready to go by Saturday morning."

At 8:30 a.m. Saturday, volunteers, public officials and interested members of the public will gather at the site of the memorial and take time to reflect upon the events of three years ago.

On hand will be the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, the Jackson Police Honor Guard, representatives from fire departments across the county and the Jackson High School Black History Tour Group.

A benediction will be provided by the Rev. Ira Combs of the Greater Bible Way Temple. Sheriff Dan Heyns and State Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, will offer remarks.

At 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., moments of silence will be observed to commemorate when the north and south towers of the World Trade Center were struck.

"My hope is it serves as a vivid reminder of the atrocities people are capable of if we don't strive for a civilized world," Hoffman said. "It's as necessary as Dachau or the USS Arizona, a reminder that we must not repeat our mistakes."