Memorial Bench
Give Someone the Ultimate Gift
A memorial bench is a unique way to honor a friend, family member or loved one, while also enhancing your favorite space for all to enjoy.
Make it Yours
Each unique bench can be purchased for $5,000. Your bench will be Dark Gray and include one engraved plaque of up to 80 characters. All engraving must be approved by the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department. We try to accommodate location requests when able and a team member will work with you on selecting the location of your bench.
There are a few open spots left for benches at Riverview Park!
After designing your bench and choosing your location, just leave the rest up to us! We will notify you as soon as your bench is ready for your enjoyment.
Purchasing a Bench
If you would like to purchase a bench in full, please fill out the Purchase a Bench form below to send us your request. A team member from the Parks and Recreation team will be in touch with further details.
If you are part of a group making payments towards a bench, please click on the "Make a Payment" button to make your donation.
Please reach out to our Executive Director, Sarah, if you have any questions.
The Friends of Des Moines Parks is a nonprofit 501c3 organization with a mission to preserve, protect, improve, and promote the use of Des Moines’ parks, greenways, and recreational programs for the benefit of all neighborhoods, residents, and visitors. The Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department is not responsible for replacing benches in the event that they are stolen, damaged due to normal wear and tear, natural disaster or vandalism. Please contact your tax professional to determine if your purchase is tax-deductible.
Johnston Family
John and Joellyn loved walking through the park with their beloved dog, no matter the season. Their family felt like a bench would be a lovely way to honor them in a place they treasured.