The right memorial in the right place will be welcomed I am more convinced than ever that all citizens of Fair Haven strongly support the idea of creating a fitting memorial to our friends and neighbors who perished in the World Trade Center attack. Too many of my friends’ names appear on monuments to the war dead for me to be indifferent to the pain of the families of those who were lost on Sept. 11. Since our earlier meetings, I have heard comments from a diverse group of people and have given considerable additional thought to this matter. I am more convinced than ever that the present proposed site and the size of our town’s memorial project are wrong for the community. Fair Haven Fields was acquired in 1974 solely for recreational and conservation purposes and has been divided into the sports area and the natural area. The establishment of a large (more than 50-foot diameter) memorial is an unintended use of these public lands. Moreover, the suggested site next to the active athletic fields and the concession stand/restrooms is hardly a fitting site to honor the residents who perished in the 9/11 attack. The criteria for a memorial to these victims of the attack should be primarily easy public accessibility. In addition, a memorial’s scope should reflect proportionality and appropriate remembrance of those who lost their lives in this disaster. The proposed choice of Fair Haven Fields meets neither criteria. I feel that a plaque listing the names of our resident victims of the attack and the place and date of the attack should be affixed to a marble monument to honor their memories and should be placed in a more fitting site. A more logical and appropriate site for a town memorial to the victims of the attack would be in the grassy area in front of the borough hall (my primary choice) since it is the core site of our community both as the center of local government and the site of our borough library, utilized by the whole community. This would afford the memorial greater public visibility and accessibility. My second choice would be Memorial Park. As its name suggests, it is an obvious memorial site which anchors the borough’s historic district. This property is somewhat over one-half acre in size and on its easterly third memorializes the military service and sacrifices of residents who served in the nation’s armed forces from World War I to the present. The main memorial is the doughboy statue and surrounding monuments (which take up less space than the proposed WTC memorial). It has been suggested that the borough’s veterans might object to the use of Memorial Park for the WTC memorial. I truly doubt that! No one is able to speak for all veterans—certainly not me—but it seems clear that the line between military personnel and civilian targets of attack was obscured forever as a result of the WTC terrorist actions. I think Memorial Park is large enough to accommodate and reserve the eastern third as a military veterans site while tastefully developing the westerly side of the park, incorporating a WTC memorial and such other memorials as we may find appropriate in the future. I have heard it suggested and perhaps it is now fitting that we, as a community, undertake a redevelopment of Memorial Park to make it a more attractive place to rest and reflect on those who are no longer with us or who have served us as members of the armed forces. New bronze plaques listing the residents who served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War could be affixed to the sides of the base of the doughboy statute. Much needed landscaping and the removal of excessively large trees and overgrown shrubbery could be undertaken to improve this park under the direction and oversight of a committee of borough citizens and organizations. I feel the mayor and council should give this suggestion early study and consideration. Lawrence Quigley Fair Haven