In December 2001, the City Council passed legislation naming the area behind Maspeth Memorial Park the “Plaza of Heroes” for the fallen firefighters of HazMat1 and Squad 288 who died at the World Trade Center on 9-11. Walter McCaffrey of District 26 and Karen Koslowitz of District 29 were Maspeth’s City Council Members at the time, but they were both term-limited and about to hand the reins over to new council members. Shortly after Eric Gioia and Melinda Katz replaced them, the area was redistricted, with Maspeth being moved into the 30th District, where it remains today. All this political turnover led to the co-naming being forgotten about for a quarter century. The 2001 legislation was re-discovered earlier this year by Newtown Historical Society, which brought it to the attention of Council Member Wong, who arranged with DOT to get it done. Maspeth Federal Savings included the sign unveiling during its annual 9-11 ceremony, which this year took place on September 9, marking the 25th anniversary of the tragic day. We’ll have coverage of it in our next issue.
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SERVING MIDDLE VILLAGE AND MASPETH SINCE 1938.
