When Spring and warmer weather finally get here a blog post will be posted on the many Veteran's Memorials located throughout Albany. It's just too cold to drive to and photograph the monuments. The idea for this upcoming post was put together after a surprising drive down Sheridan Avenue in Arbor Hill last week.
There is a lot of construction going on in that area. Lower Sheridan Avenue previously named Canal Street was an Irish slum neighborhood known as Gander Bay. Most of the homes in that area have been long torn down including number 172 Sheridan Avenue where my great great grandparents, Michael J. Gannon and his wife Anne Cummins Gannon lived and raised a family. Their home was located where the New York State steam plant is now. The homes that were left were very dilapidated.
The level of construction going on there did not surprise me. The area definitely needs rehabilitation. What did irk me was the fact that a veteran's memorial, building, and flag pole dedicated to those from that neighborhood who served and died in World War II was completely torn down. There was no remnant left. Everything was gone.
When I got home I contacted a couple of Veterans of Foreign War posts and they were aware of this. One person who I spoke with mentioned that the building had seen better days and was in rough shape. I do not know how bad it was but I am assuming that it could have been saved with a little effort. Also I was told that one of the construction contractors wanted to take the flag pole that was located on the site for his own personal use.
I may be off course but I do not know how Albany's officials could let this happen. Shame on them!
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