Osprey Sculpture Taking Flight From Greenport to Peconic

The welded bronze sculpture at the end of the docks is slated to take a flight over a new home in Peconic. The voted on Tuesday night in favor of accepting the sculpture as a donation to the town.

Citing too far a distance from the public it's supposed to help remember the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, Deputy Director of Public Works Jeff Standish came before the board on Tuesday morning and relayed the wishes of the group commissioned to set up the sculpture about a year after the attacks.

Standish said the group picked in Peconic, and it hopes to have the sculpture remounted in time for a dedication before the 10-year anniversary of Sept. 11.

Jim Miller of Calverton's Miller Environmental Group was part of the group which created the memorial. He said his company was one of the contractors involved with remediation at Ground Zero and was able to acquire some of the fallen columns.

"I think Cochran Park is an outstanding location," Miller said on Wednesday. "It will get the visibility and respect it deserves there. When people see the twisted, distorted configuration of the metal, it's really overwhelming to think of the forces involved to do that."

The work of art, titled "Morning Call," depicts a perching osprey on top of a beam which fell from the 34th floor one of of the World Trade Center towers.

Miller said the sculpture "never got the visibility or recognition it deserves" in its current location.

He added that the group had attempted to relocate the sculpture to Greenport's , though a "local controversey" ensued after the village determined it may seem deferential to the work of Roberto Julio Bessin, leaving other local artists wanting their works displayed publicly as well.

Greenport Village Mayor David Nyce said there was "no controversey at all," but rather that the majority of the village board did not want to place any more structures in Mitchell Park.