Honor loved ones, quote a favorite author, display a family name or book title, or use other creative ways to make your mark in Bellflower. You can become a permanent part of the City's new Library Gardens, a quarter-acre park to be located across from the Clifton M. Brakensiek Library, by purchasing a personalized tile that will be installed in the park.
"This is a great opportunity to leave a legacy, a lasting tribute, a mark on the City that will be seen and remembered," said Brian Lee, Bellflower's Community Development Director. "Better still, funds raised will go toward park construction."
The Library Gardens replaces a parking lot and grass area on Flower Street at Civic Center Drive. The small intimate park will provide an outdoor setting that complements the public library. It will include literary quotes engraved on concrete slabs, oversized concrete books to sit on, and a labyrinth, or artistic winding path leading to a center point.
The eight-inch by eight-inch personalized tiles will be placed along the labyrinth path. Tiles are on sale now and order forms are available at City Hall, Bellflower's major parks and can be downloaded at the bottom of this page. There is a maximum 20 characters per line (including spaces and punctuation) and six lines per tile. Prices run from $50 for one or two lines up to $125 for six lines. Cash or credit card payments can be made in person at City Hall. Checks along with the completed order form can be mailed.
Tiles will be sold through November 1st. Construction of the park is expected to begin in October. The gardens are scheduled to open in Spring 2006.
"The Library Gardens labyrinth will hold about 200 tiles, but if we get orders for more, then we will continue to line other paths in the park," added Lee. "Be creative, think literary, and make your mark in Bellflower."
For more information, call (562) 804-1424, ext. 2102, or download the order form below.
Weinald Family Memorializes Brother at Library Gardens
Jim and Joy Weinald have lived in Bellflower for 27 years. Last year, Jim's brother Robert passed away, and the family wanted to do something special to honor his memory. So when the City began selling personalized tiles for the new Library Gardens, Joy was first in line.
"We bought it as a memorial for him. He was always the Swamp Fox," said Joy.
The Swamp Fox is a historical novel about a southern revolutionary war hero written by Gene Ligotti. The engraved tile with the book title and Robert's name will be placed around a labyrinth in the new park.
"This is a place his mother can go," added Joy. "It's so much nicer than the cemetery. And instead of being sad, she'll be able to remember him as a five-year-old Swamp Fox, running around the house with his hat and his little boots on."
"We're hoping people will be creative when deciding what to place on their tiles and think in a literary manner like the Weinalds," said Pam Welty of the City's Community Develop-ment Department.
Information about the City's Library Gardens tile program and order forms are available at City Hall, Bellflower's parks and below. The Weinalds used the order form to purchase two tiles.
"We also bought The Ghost and Mrs. Muir because it's a great love story, we loved it," stated Joy. "We think the Library Gardens is going to be an absolutely beautiful setting. And that's where we wanted to leave our legacy."
