New York Governor, mayor set 2011 target for World Trade Center memorial

New York, July 19 : New York Governor David Paterson and the city's mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg have agreed that a memorial for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack should come up by 2011 at "Ground Zero".

"I mentioned that to the mayor, and he agreed wholeheartedly," Paterson said after a half-hour City Hall meeting with Bloomberg.

"I wanted him to know that if we can agree, we'd work on both ends to try to make that happen. We (will) be going in a direction that I think all New Yorkers would be proud of," the New York Daily News quoted Governor Paterson, as saying.

Paterson said that while the PATH station and the commercial projects planned for the site were also important, finishing the memorial will send a powerful message to the people of New York.

Earlier, on his weekly radio show, Bloomberg endorsed the 10th anniversary goal and said he had discussed it Thursday with Port Authority Executive Director Christopher Ward.

Mayor Bloomberg chairs the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, which raised the 350 million dollars necessary for building the complex and is now raising money for a museum endowment.

Bloomberg endorsed the 10th anniversary goal at the group's board meeting at Gracie Mansion on Thursday night, group President Joe Daniels told the New York Daily News.

"The foundations and footings for the memorial are near completion and steel will be arriving soon, so that we can lay the groundwork at the memorial site for a publicly accessible and appropriate tribute on the 10th anniversary of September 11," Ward said.

ANI