Moreno Valley Landmark Gets Necessary Improvements

Moreno Valley's iconic "M" landmark got a light facelift over the weekend. Community volunteers led by City Parks and Recreation Commissioner James C. Baker II gathered over the weekend to clear weeds and debris from and paint the landmark, located on Box Springs Mountain, in a privately organized and funded project. Eighteen volunteers donated labor and other equipment to the restoration efforts. Moreno Valley's Rotary Club on Oct. 31 donated $1,000 to the project, with Lowe's Home Improvement and Visterra Credit Union also chipping in. Baker spearheaded the campaign to restore the landmark, which has been a symbol to the community since the 1960s. "It needed it. It was in bad shape and there was a lot of debris around it," he said. Baker also believed rallying the community together would help the sense of morale. "The city has gone through a lot and taken some bumps and bruises in the past few years, so it was good to get everyone together. There are good people living and working here." The landmark hadn't seen tender love and care since 2009, when it was restored by approximately 10 volunteers during the city's 25th Anniversary Celebration, shared Baker. "After so many years of harsh weather conditions, the sign has taken a beating and is ready for an overhaul," Baker told volunteers in a project overview. "The sign represents Moreno Valley proudly, considering the fact that not too many cities have a landmark that can be seen 20 miles away in some areas." The project was completed over three phases: Phase one: Project Evaluation, which involved taking into consideration the improvements the landmark needed. Phase two: Project Compliation, in which volunteers, equipment, tools and necessary documents and paperwork were secured. Phase three: Implementation Phase, including the on-site crew assembly structure and project completion. Prior to the improvements, Baker was required to gain approval to access the regional park from Riverside County Supervisor Marion Ashley's office. For most of the day Saturday, Nov. 2, the volunteers worked for about five hours to rake away weeds, clear debris and give the landmark a fresh coat of white paint. At approximately 150 square feet, 20 feet across and set at a 45 degree angle in the mountain, restoration efforts were challenging, shared Baker. "It was pretty massive, and because it's set at a 45 degree angle it was hard getting up the winding dirt road to it," he said. The crew worked under the supervision of an emergency management operators team for added safety. Thankfully, Baker shared, no one was injured in the restoration efforts. "We want people to hear and see good things coming out of Moreno Valley," Baker said. "We want our city to shine, and we're going to start with our famous hillside landmark, a project the entire city can be proud of." The cost to restore the "M" landmark totaled $1,700 and currently, shared Baker, the group has raised a total of $1,200. All funding was received by private donors.