The Wayzata Conservancy has partnered with the City of Wayzata to create a memorial honoring the 20th anniversary of the 9/11/2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
The memorial will be located among a grove of nine birch trees in the recently completed lakeside plaza park, which is part of the city’s Panoway on Wayzata Bay initiative.
The initial inspiration for a 9/11 memorial in Wayzata dates back to 2011, around the time of the 10-year anniversary. The City of Wayzata was given several small pieces of the fallen World Trade Center buildings by the Aamoth family of Wayzata, whose 32-year-old son Gordy Aamoth Jr. died in the attacks.
The Wayzata Conservancy in partnership with the city of Wayzata will be hosting a community gathering to introduce the memorial monument and honor the 20th Anniversary of 9/11.
Event begins at 10 am. and will include a flag raising by Twin Cities Squadron Sea Cadets.
The approved designs depict two 27-foot-long horizontal plinths meant to resemble the iconic silhouette cast by the Twin Towers on the New York City skyline. The granite plinths will also serve as benches for visitors. Several areas will have text and an enclosure will display the artifacts salvaged from the World Trade Center.
On the north monolith will be text that reads, “We will never forget their sacrifice, dedication and countless acts of bravery,” with smaller text reading, “We remember all who were injured or perished, all volunteers and first responders who united to answer the call, and those who were touched by the events of September 11, 2001.”
The south monolith will have the text, “Honoring victims, survivors and first responders,” with the smaller text, “In remembrance of Gordon McCannel Aamoth Jr., a beloved member of our community who perished on September 11, 2001 during the attack on the World Trade Center.”
The Wayzata Conservancy, an independent nonprofit organization that was established to serve as an advocate and fundraising agency for the Panoway initiative, is continuing its work to raise money for the memorial. To learn more about the effort, visit wayzataconservancy.org/911mn.
