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City finally officially announces Statue of Liberty 9/11 event

September 7, 2007 12:49 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Alki Statue of Liberty
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Just arrived in the inbox (thanks again to Councilmember Tom Rasmussen’s team): The official press release about Tuesday night (an event first mentioned here four weeks ago). Full text ahead. 

Mayor and Councilmember Rasmussen to unveil refurbished Statue of Liberty

WHO: Mayor Greg Nickels and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen

WHAT: Event to celebrate the newly cast Statue of Liberty, which replaces the one damaged by vandals in 2005

WHEN: 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11

WHERE: Alki Beach, next to the Bathhouse, 2701 Alki Ave.

HISTORY

The statue was a gift to the city from the Boy Scouts of America in 1952. Despite the fact it was not cast to the scale of the original “Liberty Enlightening the World,” the statue quickly became a beloved landmark. It has been vandalized frequently over the years, most recently in February 2005. Parks crews determined the damage was too extensive for repairs, and the statue needed to be recast. The newly cast statue is ready to resume her vigil at the same beach where the Denny party arrived in 1851.

Nickels will include $50,000 in his 2008 proposed budget for a new pedestal for the statue.

“The statue is a symbol of great depth and meaning to everyone in Seattle,” Nickels said. “It is a place where we gather as a community, as we did on Sept. 11, 2001.”

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10 Replies to "City finally officially announces Statue of Liberty 9/11 event"

  • Jo September 7, 2007 (12:56 pm)

    Have just talked with Pamela Green, Director of Community Outreach, Mayor’s Office re: details of our great event on Tuesday, Sept. 11th, for rededication of the newly recast statue to her home of 55 years on Alki.
    Here’s some of the happenings:
    . West Seattle Big Band starts playing at 5:30pm
    . During the playing of the ‘National Anthem’ a Honor Guard of
    2 Seattle Police Dept. officers
    2 Fire Department officers will present ‘colors’
    . Mayor Nickels
    . Tom Rasmussen, City Councilman
    . Unveiling of statue
    . Fireboat Leschi with water display
    . Boy Scout Area Director will be rounding up some local Boy Scout Troops to be in attendance.
    . Plus various Parks Dept., city/county officials and just plain folks.

    Hope you all can come and join us. It’s a happy occasion.

    Also, please attend the Thursday, Sept. 13th meeting at the Bathhouse, 7pm. As far as I know, the agenda will be
    . Holly Santos from Northwest Programs for the Arts with details on moneys raised/spent/remaining.
    • Past history of statue and it’s sentimental value to the community/city.
    • Future plans for the new plaza
    It’s an important meeting and a chance to make your voice heard.

    Thanks to you all for your support and help in getting Miss Liberty back home.

    Jo Ofsthus

  • Jo September 7, 2007 (1:01 pm)

    cc:
    We have also personally invited
    .members of Fire Station #29 to join us. They played such an emotional role during the memorials on 9/11.
    .local Police officers who provided great emotional support to the grieving community.
    .Tom Ansart, of the ex-Liberty Deli, who in 1996 started this whole recasting issue
    . Bathhouse artists
    Jo

  • flipjack September 7, 2007 (2:16 pm)

    To bad the new statue couldn’t be memorialized on “President” Bush’s and VP Cheney’s impeachment day.
    Ya know it’s sad that people associate liberty with 9/11, because it has nothing to do with that except for the fact that the current administration has used that event to try and destroy many of those civil liberties that were in place a long time before September 11, 2001.
    Do we really need another jingoistic flag waving event right now?

  • Jenny September 7, 2007 (2:58 pm)

    Do you hate the Seahawks now, too? >:-D

  • Jo September 7, 2007 (3:02 pm)

    flipjack:
    It isn’t just about 9/11. That’s just a recent event. She’s been on her pedestal since 1952.
    That statue means different things to different people.
    In my case my Dad, an Alki resident since ’61, always sat on a bench by the statue. And after getting an ice cream cone at Richeys Drugstore we’d often meet up there to visit. My Dad has been gone for awhile, but she symbolizes my father to me.
    To Tom Ansart, ex-Liberty Deli, it symbolizes his New York City roots. He started this whole recasting deal.
    How many tourists have had their picture taken in front of that statue – there must be thousands of pictures all over the world of little Debbie or Tamae or Natasha or Yousef or Jose and that Little Miss Liberty.
    So…sorry to get carried away, but that statue is important to alot of people for various reasons.
    Flipjack, hope to see you there on Tuesday. And not everyone will be flag waving, believe me.
    Jo

  • Dis September 7, 2007 (3:38 pm)

    Jo, are you organizing the event? My head is spinning, trying to keep track of all the players. Isn’t this a city event?

  • Jo September 7, 2007 (4:21 pm)

    The Mayor’s office is organizing the event (with help from Parks Dept. and Tom Rasmussens’ office). I’m involved because I’ve been chair of the “Bring Miss Liberty Home Now” group lobbying to get the statue brought back now and installed on existing base.
    So, since my job is pretty much done, we’ve accomplished our goal, I’ve been asked to help inform the community of these two events: Sept. 11th rededication by Mayor Nickels and also Sept. 13th 7:00pm Parks-called meeting in Bathhouse. I’ve been making phone calls to and am now getting a flyer together to distribute to various businesses and telephone poles to do just that.
    My group will be on the agenda at the Sept. 13th meeting, along with Parks Dept. representative, NPA’s Holly Santos, and Phase II committee co-chairs Paul and Libby Carr. There will Q&A periods for community imput, also.
    I am totally title-less (as I like it). As my daughter says: “She may be short, but she’s got a big voice.”
    Sorry for the confusion. As you can tell I’m absolutely psyched by this whole turn of events.
    Jo

  • flipjack September 8, 2007 (10:32 am)

    Jo,
    Well, that’s exactly my point! The statue ISN’T about 9/11 so why associate this celebration with that date and call it a 9/11 event? It seems to me that it tends to overshadow all the other symbolism that the statue represents, which is why it doesn’t sit right with me.
    I do really appreciate the work you and the city have put into all this, because I do believe in the good will that the original statue of liberty symbolizes. I just think that turning it into a 9/11 event is an unfortunate and confusing oversight. That said I will be at the event and hopefully the true essence of Liberty will be emphasized and we can hopefully begin to re-associate 9/11 with a feeling of openness and compassion rather than flag waving and vengeance like the slogan “Never Forget”.

  • Peggy September 8, 2007 (3:59 pm)

    As just another member of the Alki community group doing what little I can to help restore our Miss Alki Statue of Liberty, back on her much improved base and plaza surrounds, and better design all around, benches and all, I am so thrilled with this progress. The newly reforged statue will now stand prouder and more secure for our enjoyment by a group of citizens that think our community will be better enhanced and much better served by the new improved design.

    I really am thrilled to be involved with so many others helping with this project. The mayor, Tom Rassumsen and the Parks Department have finally come together with the local citizens to accomplish something we can all be proud of and enjoy for a long time.

    The Boy Scout’s orrigninal gift will live on with the help of many hands.

    However it never would have happened, I beleive without the commitment from the professional architect’s gift of this handsome donated design from such dedicated architect’s Matt Hutchins and Chris Ezzell, who have put well over 500 “pro bono” hours into this plaza,and the extra donated hours of meetings and endless explanations with the city and communtiy members.

    And then finally when Libby and Paul Carr, Alki Beach residents, took up the challenge of stepping up to coordinate the many interested local community members anxious to support this design, it finally became a reality. It was no easy task to have come this far.

    A big thank you to all still working to make this happen so nicely. Come join the celebration and help this finally happen!

    Peggy Abby

  • Jo September 8, 2007 (6:15 pm)

    Flipjack: I hear you. I’ll be ecstatic when we can get back to the ‘real’ symbolism of our Miss Liberty. Obviously, I had nothing to do with the date that she is being returned. I think being so close to Sept. 11th when this controversy about where she would live for the next l-2 years came to a head probably played a great part in the decision. You know, all I care about at this point is that she’s coming home to her original base NOW. That’s what I’ve been working for. I think the flashy ‘party’ will be great fun. The Thursday Sept 13th meeting at the Bathhouse will be about past/present/future. Any questions/concerns you might have can be answered then. See you there?
    Jo

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