Virginia Community Honors Its 9/11 Victims

By Albert V. Short

Harmony Ponds and their crew were proud to be a part of this charitable project. The Liberty Memorial is a tribute to Prince William residents and all those who died as a result of the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. Photos Courtesy of Harmony Ponds, Inc.

The dedication of a memorial fountain in Prince William County, Virginia to victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was the result of a shared effort between public and private sectors. The fountain was commissioned by the county and planned by a memorial committee that included family members of people killed on September 11. It was made possible through a four-year fund-raising effort that included veterans' organizations. Harmony Ponds, Inc., a Fairfax, Virginia design/build firm, constructed the named Liberty Memorial, on a pro bono basis.

The memorial consists of a reflecting pond in the shape of the Pentagon, with two fountain geysers in the center to represent the World Trade Center towers. A plaza surrounded by Pennsylvania granite honors those who were lost on Flight 93, and a block of stone from the Pentagon fire is incorporated into the design.

The vault contains all of the mechanical support equipment for the fountains, including pumps, filters, light controls, a winter heater, sensors and a control panel.

Installation of In-Ground Vault

Erkiletian Construction Company took the lead in marshalling contractor support. Harmony Ponds, Inc. was glad to assist, to provide the fountain basin and mechanical installation as well as the in-ground equipment vault and the plumbing and basin electrical work. Construction was under the direct supervision of Don Jump, vice president in charge of the design/build Division. The Harmony Ponds crew formed and installed a steel-reinforced concrete basin and applied a black waterproof seal to the basin interior. A subterranean vault was installed some distance above the fountain to hold the pumps, filters, controls, electrical service, water makeup and water quality systems, as well as lighting controls. Niche lighting was installed in the walls of the basin to provide a soft glow beneath the water's surface, and vertical lights under each of the two nozzles illuminate the twin geysers of water, to produce a striking nighttime effect.

The light units placed at the base of the nozzle create a column of light within the rising water, evoking a fiber optic effect.

A Tribute to Its Residents

Prince William County has a high concentration of military and civilian Defense Department employees. The fountain is a tribute to its residents who died in the attacks on the Pentagon and the twin towers. The names of the Greater Prince William area victims are inscribed on the west wall of the fountain's pool.