Members of the Riverbank City Council recently approved a memorial at Sorenson Park for Ismael Martinez-Huertas, the Gilton Solid Waste employee that was killed in an accident in August this year. The request came from his wife Alcira Vega that had an outpouring of support from the community after he was tragically killed on the 5300 block of Homewood Way. The community posted purple hearts on their Gilton cans and there was a candlelight vigil that was well attended and included city staff and city council members.

In discussions with the city, Vega proposed a decorative stone with a small plaque be placed in Sorensen Park in her late husband’s memory. The park is adjacent to where he passed. Sunrise Building Material offered to donate the decorative stone at no cost. Director of Parks and Recreation Sue Fitzpatrick approved the memorial and placement of it in the park.

Since the City does not have a formal process in place for those types of requests they asked the City Council for direction at the regular scheduled meeting in December were it was approved unanimously to place the memorial in the park.