3,000-Pound WTC Artifact Brought to Bloomingdale

When (DPW) Superintendent Al Gallagher was offered a 27-inch World Trade Center artifact for the borough, he told the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey he had something larger in mind.

"I'm the type of man that says, 'Go big or go home,'" Gallagher said.

He was able to get what he wanted and he, along with several other DPW employees and firefighters, brought a more than 3,000-pound artifact home to Bloomingdale from Hanger 17 on Wednesday morning.

Gallagher said in May he was reading a newspaper and saw an article about how Wanaque was getting their own artifact. Several other local municipalities were bringing pieces of the World Trade Center to their own boroughs and dedicating them,

So, Gallagher sent a request to the Port Authority and found out this week the borough was approved.

"I am honored that the borough was able to receive this artifact from the World Trade Center," Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy said Wednesday. "We will discuss with our fire department and design a very fitting setting to display this monument."

Gallagher said he would like to see the monument be placed somewhere at Borough Hall so that the piece's unique characteristics can be seen by all. The artifact has some cement stuck on the edges.

"This was actually holding part of the World Trade Center up," he said.

Dunleavy said the borough will make sure to place the memorial in a place where all residents can visit it.

"We want the location to be a very visible area so that all residents and visitors can view and pay respects to such an important display," he said. "Once the planning and project is completed, we will have a dedication to honor those we lost on this tragic day of September 11, 2001."