By Justin Quesinberry WNCN
PITTSBORO, N.C. A long delayed 9/11 memorial in Chatham County now has a home.
The county received the 12,000-pound steel beam from the New York Port Authority in March 2011. The goal was to create a memorial in time for the 10-year observance of 9/11.
Earlier this week, county commissioners approved a $1, 99-year lease for a spot near the new Chatham County Justice Center in downtown Pittsboro.
Once complete, it will pay tribute to all those affected by 9/11, but also firefighters, EMS, law enforcement and military in the area.
The Chatham County 9/11 First Responders’ Memorial Foundation, made up of first responders, formed in recent months to get the project done.
Firefighter Jody Allen heads that organization and said it has taken time to find the right group, a location for the memorial and a design. He said some government red tape has slowed the process.
The economy also made it hard to collect donations, he said.