LOWER EAST SIDE — Friends and family of Lower East Side activist Harry Wieder will gather Sunday to unveil a street sign in his memory, two years after he was killed by a cab.
The new sign at Forsyth and Rivington streets will proclaim Wieder's former block "Harry Wieder Way," to honor his work as a transportation advocate and supporter of disabled and LGBT rights.
"He was loved by everyone," said Anne Johnson, who served alongside Wieder on Community Board 3.
Wieder, 57, was struck by a cab while crossing Essex Street as he was leaving a CB3 meeting in April 2010. He was disabled and used crutches to walk.
A small pair of white crutches was placed near the scene of the accident shortly after Wieder's death, but Wieder's friends are glad to see a more positive, permanent memorial for him.
"This is a better way for him to be remembered than what happened," said Dominic Pisciotta, CB3's chairman. "He connected and engaged with many people to advocate for what he believed in. It was definitely a loss to the neighborhood."
The street co-naming ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday at Forsyth and Rivington streets, followed by a gathering with Wieder's family at University Settlement, 273 Bowery at Houston Street, at 3:15 p.m.
