At the spot where the Niagara River meets Lake Ontario, Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York, provided the perfect backdrop for a dignified ceremony remembering those whose lives were lost in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
With the American flag flying on top of the flag pole erected by The Caldwell Foundation in 2022, Kathy Weiss, interim director of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber of Commerce, emceed a short ceremony co-hosted, for the first time, by the chamber and the Town, at Queen’s Royal Park.
Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa acknowledged the men and women in the fire-fighting, paramedic and police services who rushed into New York City’s North and South Twin Towers where thousands of people were fleeing for their lives. He also thanked Niagara-on-the-Lake fire personnel and representatives from the Niagara Regional Police Service for their commitment to “put themselves in the line of danger to protect us.”
MPP Wayne Gates noted that Niagara-on-the-Lake is the only town hosting a memorial ceremony in all of Niagara, and that it is important to do so because many young people aren’t aware of the scope of this tragedy.
He also acknowledged the American tourists in town that day. “On that day 23 years ago, Niagara-on-the-Lake stepped forward and made sure our American brothers and sisters that were here in the town were taken care of, and, you know, to this day, they still come back.”
At 8:45 a.m., a time coordinated to when Flight 11 crashed into the north face of the North Tower, Fire Chief Jay Plato lowered the American flag while Amazing Grace played over the sound system. After a minute of silence, Plato raised the American flag while both the American and Canadian anthems played. The American flag will be lowered and removed at sunset, and replaced with the Canadian flag.
A wreath with small American and Canadian flags in the centre will remain on site for the rest of the week.
The former site of the ceremony was in front of the cenotaph on Queen Street, but recent restoration work made that site unattainable.
