Hamden Dedicating Memorial Benches To 'Throwbacks' Who Loved Town

Press release from Town of Hamden:

HAMDEN, CT – There will be an unveiling ceremony Friday to dedicate memorial benches to two men who loved and devoted themselves to the Town of Hamden, Benjamin Alton (Al) Gorman Jr. and Craig B. Henrici.

On Friday, Aug. 18, at 5PM, Mayor Lauren Garrett and the Hamden Regional Chamber of Commerce will dedicate the two memorial benches to Benjamin Alton (Al) Gorman Jr. and Craig B. Henrici at the newly constructed patio at the entrance to Hamden’s Town Center Park adjacent to Josh’s Jungle. Both Al Gorman and Craig Henrici were instrumental in approving the Josh’s Jungle project. Parking is available at Miller Cultural Complex, 2901 Dixwell Avenue.

Benjamin Alton (Al) Gorman Jr., former Legislative Council President, was first elected to serve as an at-large member of Hamden’s Legislative Council in 1994 and served as Legislative Council President from 2005-2009. His civic involvement began when he became a member of the Hamden Historical Society in 1975 and served as President from 1998 to 2016.

Al Gorman also served on the Friends of Brooksvale Board of Directors and served as committee chair to Boy Scout Troop 604 as well as chair of the Hamden Arts Commission. He served as a member of the Hamden Historic Properties Commission and the Hamden Solid Waste and Recycling Commission, and also served on both the Town and School Building Committees.

Gorman was a member of the Democratic Town Committee for the 9th District and organized the Farmington Canal Museum at Lock 14. He was the editor of the book Hamden Our Architectural Heritage in 1986 and was co-author of the books Images of Hamden in 2004 and Hamden Revisited in 2014.

Craig B. Henrici, former Mayor of Hamden, grew up in Hamden and was a proud graduate of Hamden High School. He was a star hockey player and was part of the HHS team that won the 1971 State Hockey Championship. Henrici graduated from what is now Quinnipiac Law School and practiced law in both Wallingford and Hamden for over 30 years.

He served 16 years on the Legislative Council, serving as Legislative Council President for 14 years. Henrici was a State Representative and served two terms as Mayor of the Town he loved, during which time he was instrumental in creating the Town Center Park. Henrici went on to serve as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities. He also served on the Hamden Chamber of Commerce and was Board Chairman from 2012-2014.

Mayor Garrett remarks, “Both Al Gorman and Mayor Henrici were dedicated public servants who cared deeply about our Town.”

Joseph McDonagh, member of the Hamden Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, adds, “Al Gorman and Craig Henrici were a throwback; they were both gentlemen, who treated everyone with respect.”

Mayor Garrett would like to thank the Hamden Regional Chamber of Commerce for raising the funds for the two memorial park benches and the two commemorative plaques in memoriam of former Legislative Council President Al Gorman and former Mayor Craig Henrici, and Hamden Public Works and Parks for installing the benches.

This press release was produced by Town of Hamden. The views expressed here are the author’s own.