Town of Meaford remembers 9/11 victims with unique monument

BARRIE, ONT. -

While far away from the epicentre of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the community of Meaford has unique ways to remember the victims.

The town is one of just six across Canada to have received a piece of the fallen twin towers. That piece is now part of a monument that is in the town's fire department.

"It's a big statement for how important our firefighters are to our communities and how much they are willing to give up," says Fire Chief Courtney Allen, who now leads the town's fire department.

Allen says that tragic day is one that spurred his desire to become a firefighter himself.

"Seeing the men and women of the New York fire department running towards the emergency when everyone was running away made me want to do that as a career," the chief tells CTV News. "It amazes me the work and the pressure that would have taken there."

The fire department requested the 20-foot beam, but it didn't arrive until 2011. While significant, it is not the only monument in the town that commemorates that terrible time.

In nearby Joe Park, another monument stands tall in honour of the search and rescue dogs that went to Ground Zero.

"We needed to do something to recognize all those dogs that had gone down searching for life searching for bodies so there would be closure," says Sharon Mansion of the Beautiful Joe Heritage Society. "People are absolutely in awe, and someone just recently just said it gives me goosebumps to think you've done something like this in this lovely park."