Despite cold, breezy weather the tenth year re-dedicaton of The Gates of The City of Ponte Delagdo on the City’s Waterfront was deemed a success with various representatives and residents turning up for the ceremony.
Here’s the history according to an article in the Fall River Herald News article written by Jo Goode.
Then-Fall River mayor Edward Lambert Jr. and then-mayor of Ponta Delgada Berta Cabral collaborated to bring artisans and materials to erect the 60 feet tall and 30 feet wide monument to what he called a “continued and important” relationship between the sister cities – Fall River and Ponta Delgada.
Speaking to a crowd at the Cultural Center, Lambert said that in 2006 during the planning of the Gates of the City, Fall River residents embraced the project.
“These gates were so symbolically important of who we are and where we came from,” Lambert said. “I believe in this day and age when there is so much discussion that we should erect borders around our country to make them impenetrable, that we have on our waterfront an opportunity to send a message to the world that we are to be welcoming.”
Cabral, with voice cracking and later speaking in Portuguese, said it was a “great pleasure” to be attending the celebration of the Gates of the City.
Photo Courtesy: To the left of podium, Senator Mike Rodriques; At the podium Ponte Delgado Mayor Jose Bolieiro; Next to Bolieiro State representative Alan Silvia and to his left, Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia (Other two representatives photographed unknown).
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