patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Honor Your Loved One with a Park Bench

Westwood now has a Park Bench Donation Program in all its parks

 

Westwood residents who want to honor a lost loved one or recognize a special achievement can now do so with a park bench.

At the Westwood council's last meeting of the year, Councilman Peter Grefrath unveiled a brochure for the Park Bench Donation Program, which has been in the works for several months.

Grefrath said he was "very happy" that the project had come to fruition. He said it's another way residents can honor people in the borough and hopes many take advantage of it.

"In an ideal world the donated benches would be in lieu of donated trees," he said.

The donated benches will match the ones in each of the borough's parks and include a plaque with the requested inscription.

In Veterans' Memorial Park, the benches will be Victor Stanley solid black cast iron. The benches in the other parks, including the nearly complete Westvale Park, will be Wabash Valley brown plastisol coated steel. Veterans' Park benches are only available as memorial benches, but those in the other parks can be memorial or commemorative.

Each bench in Veterans' Park costs $1,700 while the others cost $900 each. The cost includes installation and an engraved message up to 45 characters. If the desired inscription is more than 45 characters, there is an extra fee.

The borough will be responsible for maintaining and caring for the benches, including any incidents of vandalism. Officials ask that no items be left on or near the benches, such as wreaths or flowers.

If you're interested in purchasing a bench, brochures are available at the municipal complex in the administrator and borough clerk's offices, the building department, the recreation department and the library. A PDF version is attached to this story and also available on the borough's website.

Residents wishing to donate a bench must fill out the form in the brochure and write a check to the borough for the proper amount. Residents will receive a proof of the inscription to approve and will be told an installation date for the bench.

BOROUGH PARKS:

What do you think about the Park Bench Donation Program? Tell us in the comments.

Leave a comment

 
 
 

In This article

  • Westwood Free Public Library

    Westwood Free Public Library

    49 Park Ave, Westwood, NJ
  • Brookside Park

    Brookside Park

    Lake St & Brookside Ave, Westwood, NJ
  • Gritman Park

    Gritman Park

    Meadow Road, Westwood, NJ
  • Hegeman Park

    Hegeman Park

    Sand Road, Westwood, NJ
  • Jake Voorhis Park

    Jake Voorhis Park

    Stratton Ave & Oakland Ave, Westwood, NJ
  • McKinley Park

    McKinley Park

    McKinley Ave & Lafayette Ave, Westwood, NJ
  • Meadowbrook Park

    Meadowbrook Park

    Kingsberry Avenue, Westwood, NJ
See more

See More on Patch

 

Most Popular articles