This year’s Tunnel to Towers Run on Sept. 27.
The annual run honoring a firefighter who gave his life at the Twin Towers on Sept. 11 received positive reviews this year, after the organizers chose to stop serving alcohol at the event.
Members of Community Board 1 praised their willingness to listen to residents’ feedback at a meeting of the Battery Park City Committee on Tues., Oct. 6.
“It gets better every year,” said Tom Goodkind, a member of the committee. “I think this is one of the few groups we have that has stuck to successfully commemorating 9/11.”
The organizers of the run, which is officially called the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk, agreed to eliminate a small area serving beer after residents complained about drunken spectators last year.
The event is named for Stephen Siller, a firefighter who raced through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel with 60 pounds of gear on his back after the first plane hit the World Trade Center. The run leads from the tunnel up through Battery Park City and cuts back onto West St. by way of Warren St.
“At their last application we asked them to make some changes, which they seem to have done. From some reports, it seems to have improved,” said Anthony Notaro, the committee’s chairperson.
Despite the positive reception, some proposed changing the route of the run and the accompanying street fair on Vesey St. in the future.
John Hodge, of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, said he was happy the event was well received this year, but resisted the explanation for the change.
“We don’t think it has anything to do with whether we’re serving or not serving alcohol,” he said, adding that the restaurants in the area sell booze anyway.
— Yannic Rack
