city park dedication plaque
How we designed and cast a large-format cast bronze dedication plaque for Maplewood City Park’s 100th anniversary — on a tight municipal budget, with a 3-week production window, and zero tolerance for error.
Government
Parks & Recreation
C83600 Bronze
Dark antique finish
Oct 2024
3 weeks, on schedule
Maplewood, TN
Centennial Park entrance
1
Project Background
In 2024, the City of Maplewood, Tennessee marked the 100th anniversary of its beloved Centennial Park — a 42-acre green space at the heart of the city that has served generations of residents. The Parks & Recreation Department commissioned a permanent bronze dedication plaque to anchor the renovated park entrance and commemorate the milestone.
The project required a plaque that could hold its own against the grandeur of the occasion — visible from 20 feet, weather-proof for generations, and bearing the signatures of the Mayor and Parks Director. It also needed to be delivered within three weeks to coincide with a pre-scheduled centennial ceremony attended by city council members, local press, and over 400 residents.
Maplewood Centennial Park
Main entrance, before installation
Park Entrance — Pre-Installation
The main gate where the plaque would be mounted on a custom granite base.
2
The Challenge
Municipal projects of this nature carry unique pressures. Every word, date, and name is a matter of public record — errors are permanent and embarrassing. The Maplewood Parks Department came to us with four specific constraints that required careful management:
Constraints We Had to Solve
⏱️ Accelerated Timeline
Three weeks from purchase order to delivery — roughly half our standard production window for a 36×24″ bronze.
✒️ Zero Error Tolerance
Mayor’s name, directorship title, and founding dates required meticulous verification — a single typo would mean recasting.
💰 Fixed Municipal Budget
Government procurement required a firm-fixed-price quote with no change orders — all design iteration absorbed within scope.
🌧️ Outdoor Longevity Requirement
The client specified the plaque must remain legible and structurally sound for a minimum of 75 years in full- weather exposure.
3
Our Solution
We assigned a dedicated project manager and expedited the commission through our Tennessee foundry’s priority casting queue. Every stage — from artwork to shipping — was compressed without compromising the craftsmanshipthat defines our work.
1
Design Verification Protocol
Before any artwork was created, we ran a full copy-editing pass on all names, titles, and dates against official city records. The Parks Director confirmed accuracy in writing via email before we committed type to layout.
2
Centennial Typography Treatment
The main title used our deep-relief casting at 5/8″ projection with hand-chased highlights. Secondary text was cast at 3/8″ for strong legibility at 20 feet under varying light conditions.
3
Dark Antique Patina System
We applied a two-stage liver-of-sulfur dark antique patina, sealed with our marine-grade clearcoat rated for 25+ years before re-application — giving the plaque immediate gravitas and long-term protection.
4
Granite Base Coordination
We coordinated directly with the city’s stone contractor, providing anchor bolt templates and installation drawings so the base could be prepared before the plaque arrived — enabling same-day installation.
5
Expedited White-Glove Shipping
The finished plaque was foam-packed, crated in custom lumber, and shipped via freight with direct-to-site delivery and real- time tracking — arriving 48 hours before the ceremony.
💡 Design Insight
The finished plaque was foam-packed, crated in custom lumber, and shipped via freight with direct-to-site delivery and real- time tracking — arriving 48 hours before the ceremony.
Tags:
Tennessee
✅ Project Outcome
The finished plaque was foam-packed, crated in custom lumber, and shipped via freight with direct-to-site delivery and real- time tracking — arriving 48 hours before the ceremony.
📋 Project Facts
Client
Maplewood City Parks
Location
Maplewood, TN
Year
2024
Material
C83600 Bronze
Finish
Dark Antique
Size
36 × 24 inches
Timeline
3 Weeks
Proofs
1 (Approved)
Warranty
Lifetime
Similar Project?
We handle government and municipal projects of all sizes — from single plaques to complete wayfinding systems.
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