The National September 11 Memorial in New York is due to open in a month and features a pear tree that is still charred from the terrorist attacks a decade ago, but has sprouted new branches. Dubbed the "Survivor Tree," it was nursed back to health at a park in the Bronx.
There will be a tree-lined plaza and two pools constructed in the footprints of the towers toppled by hijacked commercial jets on 9/11 with 30-foot waterfalls cascading down four sides and topped with panels etched with the names of the nearly 3,000 people who died in the attacks in Manhattan, Pennsylvania and at the Pentagon, plus those killed in a 1993 WTC bombing.
Names will be lighted at night and will stay covered until unveiled to families of the fallen in a dedication ceremony Sept. 11. Public viewing starts the next day, via free timed tickets. Up to 4 million visitors are projected in the first year. An uncompleted museum on the site, to house 9/11 artifacts such as fire trucks and photos and remembrances from family members is due in September 2012.
"We want people to see the rebuilding and renaissance" of the WTC site and "to go and pay your respects," says George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company, the city's tourism and marketing arm. He hopes visitors will stay to see "the revitalization of downtown" and Lower Manhattan.
Tourism officials portray the New York memorial as a place of respect for the fallen, a symbol of resilience and they discourage the term "Ground Zero" as negative. Rasic hopes the memorial will be a tranquil place of remembrance.
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