Oyster Bay residents will have a great opportunity to see what the Western Waterfront will look like when it is fully developed when they see the new Meditation Garden. It is located on what was called "the Capone property". Peter Capone, CEO of Edward Durrell Stone Associates bought the land to create a four-story office building with a restaurant on top, but instead the land was bought by the town and was fenced off and left idle for several years.

On Saturday, May 10, the September 11, 2001 Memorial to victims of the attack on the Twin Towers was commemorated. It is a beautiful addition to the area.

The work was done through a grant obtained by New York Senator Carl Marcellino. The senator and his staff met with some of the family members of those who died in the attack on the World Trade Center to design a suitable memorial. The work has been well designed and executed by Cameron Associates who are creating the work north of West End Avenue on the Western Waterfront. One of the key elements of the design is the way water will be filtered through the area. John Pascucci of Cameron Associates said the roadway has been designed differently than most roads: they usually are higher in the center to drain off water in a heavy downpour. West End Avenue will be designed to allow all the runoff to filter to the north of the road, into swales. They are pond-like formations: dry presently, but when a downfall occurs, they will fill up and slowly filter the water into pipes that will carry it further toward the harbor into successive ponds.

They are creating a whole wetland system that will filter the water of pollutants as it heads toward the harbor.

The result is something that is beautiful, restive, and environmentally sensitive.

Do take the time to visit the Memorial Garden. You will see the names of those who perished to whom it is dedicated. It is a wonderful memorial.

The memorial is dedicated to the memories of Joshua Todd Aaron; Timothy Byrne, Christopher Ciafardini of East Norwich, Peter Victor, Peter Genco, Brooke Alexandra Jackman of Mill Neck; Joseph A. Kelly, Thomas A. Mahon, Edward J. Papa, Bernard E. Patterson, Laurence Polatsch, Bart J. Ruggiere, Jonathan S. Ryan, John "Pepe" Salerno, Adrianne V. Scibetta, Christopher Paul Slattery, Michael Taddonio, Daniel P. Trant and Joshua S. Vitale.

We, the Western Waterfront and the Oyster Bay Harbor will be enriched by the Memorial Garden. Thank you.

- DFK