Commemorative benches are available throughout the Oakland County Parks (OCP) system and offer a personal and meaningful way to memorialize someone you love or honor a special occasion, while contributing to the beautification of OCP and the experience of park visitors.

If you’re interested in purchasing a commemorative bench, please complete an interest form and someone will reach out to you.

• Printable Commemorative Bench Program Information Sheet

Details

New benches are made of treated southern pine and measure 8 feet long. Each bench is made by an OCP staff member.

New golf course benches are manufactured by an outside vendor and are made of bronze-colored cast iron and cedar-colored recycled plastic. They measure 6 feet long.

New and existing benches will include a personalized 8″ x 3″ black and silver aluminum plaque. The plaque inscription can be up to four lines of text plus a heading line such as “In memory of” or “In honor of.” Each line of text cannot exceed 24 characters, not including spaces. Small overages may be approved on a case-by-case basis (for example, if the honoree’s name is longer than 24 characters). OCP reserves the right to deny any language that is deemed inappropriate. 

A proof of the plaque will be sent to the donor for approval. Once the proof is approved, OCP will collect payment and submit the order for manufacturing.

Cost

• $1,000 – Installation of a plaque on an existing bench
• $2,000 – Installation of a plaque on a new bench
• $3,000 – Installation of a plaque on a new golf course bench

All proceeds support OCP. Contributions are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

Payment

Payment with a credit card can be made in person at the address below or by phone to Haley Hansen at 248-766-9996. Checks should be made payable to "County of Oakland" and can be dropped off in person or mailed to:

Oakland County Parks
c/o Haley Hansen
2800 Watkins Lake Road
Waterford, MI 48328

Once payment is received, donors will be asked to complete the Commemorative Bench Program Policy Acknowledgement Agreement.

Location

Prospective donors may request a specific park for their commemorative bench and will be connected with the park supervisor to determine the exact location. OCP Natural Resources and Operations staff have the right to approve or deny location requests based on impact to nature, need, etc.

Installation

Please note that the timeline for ordering and installation varies depending on the supply chain, season, etc. but new benches may take up to a year. If you have specific time constraints, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate you if possible.

Warranty

Benches and bench plaques are property of OCP. OCP will maintain them for 10 years and is responsible for repairs and replacements as necessary within that time frame. When the bench and/or plaque reaches its 10-year term, the donor will have the first right of refusal to renew the donation. If the donor doesn’t wish to renew their donation, they may pick up the plaque at no additional charge. OCP will hold the plaque for three months after the donor has been notified. 

At times it may be necessary to either remove or relocate a bench due to a facility change, accessibility, storm damage or use of that area of the park. All benches within their warranty will be moved or replaced at the cost of OCP. After said warranties expire, OCP reserves the right to remove benches as necessary. OCP will make its best effort to contact a donor if a bench needs to be moved or relocated.

Additional Information

The placement of any mementos (i.e., wreaths, flowers, vases, statues, etc.) in the vicinity of the bench is prohibited as these items could pose a risk to people and/or wildlife.

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