Tiles put finishing touch on the Crescenta Commons

The Crescenta Commons is finally complete as the last piece of the project — or rather, many final pieces — were recently put in place.

It took about nine months to handcraft nearly 200 custom-made tiles that were permanently laid into the ground in the small park at Rosemont and Orange avenues.

Last fall, donations were collected from community members who in return had their family names imprinted on the tiles.

Resident and architect Ines Chessum made all of them by hand at her home and the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge.

“There’s a lot of variables, which gives them more of an organic look, a more natural look than if they were machine made,” she said. “Each letter was individually pressed by hand.”

About 180 of the tiles bear the names of families and residents from La Crescenta, who paid $100 each for them, while others were made free of charge in gratitude to those who donated their time to help build the park.

The tiles were slated to be installed earlier this year, but what was completed of the Commons at that point was so popular, it was difficult to nail down four or five days for the installation project, said Robbyn Battles, president of the Crescenta Valley Town Council.

So, the effort was delayed until July when children were out of school and hundreds of them wouldn’t be passing through the open space to and from nearby Monte Vista Elementary School, she said.

The payoff was worth all the hard work and extra time, Chessum said.

“It’s quite satisfying to see people going there and walking around and trying to find their tile with their name on it,” she said.

The tiles were installed in a circle around a sundial, which Chessum also built.

The Crescenta Commons used to be a small dirt lot that was converted into an open space for the community with plants, benches and a picnic table. All of those amenities were paid for through local donations.

Chessum first brought up the idea of beautifying the corner more than two years ago during a town council meeting. A local Boy Scout initially tried to spearhead the project, but the effort eventually ended up in the hands of Chessum and Battles, who calls herself and Chessum the “Crescenta Commons moms.”

Battles said the feedback has been nothing but positive.

“I love the fact that people are stating that it’s surpassing their expectation … I drive by and people are sitting there. The community just loves it,” she said. “It’s a great sense of accomplishment.”

To celebrate the installation of the tiles and completion of the Crescenta Commons, a special event called “Evening at the Commons” will be held at the site from 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 28.