National September 11 Memorial is Charging a Fee

National September 11 Memorial is Charging a Fee

The National September 11 Memorial has started charging visitors making online reservations for their visit, officials said Sunday, but the $2 service charge won’t apply to relatives of those killed in the terrorist attacks.

Was any body notified about the fee to be charged to patrons,visitors,family members or anyone who tries to make the online reservation?

Did the government know that with Tax-funded grants that covered about $300 million in memorial and museum construction costs, along with more than $400 million from private donations. Would then end up having people pay to pay there respects.

The memorial, in the shadow of the new One World Trade Center tower still under construction in lower Manhattan, remains free to those who wait in line for a ticket, said museum spokesman Michael Frazier.

“Like other, similar institutions, in order to help support the operational needs of the 9/11 Memorial we have implemented a service fee, solely for advance reservations,” memorial president Joe Daniels said in a statement Sunday. “Visitors of course may still walk up to visit the Memorial without incurring this fee.”

The memorial is a tribute to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, at the World Trade Center, a field near Shanksville, Pa., where a hijacked plane crashed, and at the Pentagon. The six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993 are also honored.

The name of every person who died in the attacks is inscribed in bronze panels edging the memorial pools.

Many people where disgusted when they found out Friday the memorial would charge the $2 processing fee. Sources say families of those killed in the attacks were not informed of the decision before the fee was put in place.

People come from all parts of the nation and world to pay their respects to the lives lost at Ground Zero, but it adds insult to injury for families of the victims to have the visitors being charged fees for doing so many New Yorkers are saying.

The memorial’s website said the reservation system is temporary, until construction projects nearby, such as the trade tower, are finished.

Tax-funded grants have covered about $300 million in memorial and museum construction costs. More than $400 million came from private donations. So when is enough, enough. It has not been mentioned if the funds would be used for maintenance and upkeep.

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