MOORPARK : City May Sell Plaques to Raise Park Funds

Trees and benches in Moorpark’s public parks may soon sprout memorial plaques under a plan being proposed by the city’s parks and recreation officials.

The commemorative plaques could be purchased by residents to honor friends or family members. Proceeds would help pay for the upkeep of trees in the city and supplement the parks and recreation budget. They will sell for a range of prices, but costs have not yet been set.

The idea was proposed by City Councilman John Wozniak and Christine Adams, the director of Moorpark’s Department of Community Services. “It would be nice to free up some of the city’s general fund for other things,” Adams said.

Adams, who oversaw a similar program in the city of Buena Park, said Moorpark could include a list of items or special city events that residents could underwrite in the name of a loved one.

Buena Park published a gift catalogue in the mid-1980s that netted several thousand dollars from residents and local business that wanted their names or a friend’s name on everything from fitness trails to park benches and trees, Adams said.

“We wanted it to go beyond just trees,” she said. “(The program in Buena Park) generated a lot of interest from people, and it wasn’t just for people who died. A lot of people did the dedications for birthdays and other things.”

The council will consider the proposal at its Oct. 19 meeting.