Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks Memorials topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lake Forest to sell engraved bricks at Veterans Park; $100 per brick, applications due Sept. 30
Summary
City staff described a new Veterans Park memorial brick program: 4x8 engraved bricks at $100 each, limited to three 18-character lines; city website will accept orders when a new site launches Aug. 18 and installations are planned around Veterans Day 2025.
Lake Forest City on Aug. 6 presented details of a Veterans Park memorial brick program that will allow residents to purchase engraved bricks to honor past and current military service members.
Management assistant Peggy Samantha said the brick program is an initiative in the city’s five-year strategic plan and funds were set aside for fiscal year 2025–26. "Each brick costs $100 which includes the engraving and installation of the brick in the park," Samantha said. Bricks measure 4 inches by 8 inches and are limited to three lines with 18 characters per line, including spaces.
Samantha said the city plans an initial installation around the base of a tree by the park monuments; the project can expand into the monuments area if demand requires. The approved timeline calls for the city’s new website to launch Aug. 18; residents will be able to complete an online application and pay through that site. Because this is the program’s first year, the city set a Sept. 30 deadline for orders and payments to allow time for engraving and installation.
After installation staff will notify participants and the city plans a ceremony around Veterans Day 2025; participants will receive a certificate signed by the city council, Samantha said. Commissioners asked capacity questions; Samantha estimated the initial ring of bricks around the tree can hold about 50 bricks before the city expands placement to the monuments area.
Why it matters: The program offers a way for residents to contribute a modest, one-time fee to honor service members and fund a lasting monument element in Veterans Park. The program also requires staff time for order processing, engraving coordination and installation ahead of the Nov. event.
How to order: Samantha said residents should visit the city website when it launches Aug. 18 for the application and payment details. The city will contact residents who have already inquired when the site goes live.
