Paving a way to praise
Molly Shore
Hollywood has its walk of fame immortalizing stars, and soon Burbank
will sport its own Walk of Fame at George Izay Park.
Unlike the Tinseltown walk, Burbank’s will honor men and women who
distinguished themselves through their volunteer athletic efforts
with children.
The Walk of Fame will be completed and dedicated at the start of
the spring softball and baseball season, said Eric Hansen, the city’s
interim director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
“A lot of people are very dedicated in this city, and this is a
way we can honor people who have been specifically involved in youth
sports,” Hansen said.
At a City Council meeting earlier this month, council members
unanimously approved the $166,000 project, which begins this winter.
In the past, Councilwoman Marsha Ramos said the only way to honor
someone was to place a nameplate on a park bench or name a building
in someone’s honor. However, she added, “there are so many people in
our community who have done good work that it consolidates things in
one place ... and has the ability to name many more people than a
public facility.”
The walk, consisting of pavers set in the ground, will display the
names of volunteers, as well as Park, Recreation and Community
Services Department employees.
Hansen said the first name to be placed on the Walk of Fame will
be for the late Danny Gonzalez, who coached in the Ponytail Softball
League for 15 years, basketball for six years and umpired and
officiated in city sports leagues. However, Hansen said that no date
has been selected for the installation. The park is at 1111 W. Olive
Ave.
Candidates for the walk will be submitted to a committee formed to
establish criteria, Hansen said.
The walk, beginning at field No. 2, is designed to continue in the
directions of both the first and third baselines and will expand
along the ball field’s exterior boundaries, as names are added.
Additional work will also be done to preserve the existing George
Izay Memorial Courtyard entrance and planter area in front of the
Olive Recreation Center.