Rialto to Honor Military Veterans With $135,000 Granite Monoliths
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The Rialto Library will soon feature a veterans monument. Photo by Christopher Salazar.
The Rialto Civic Center campus will soon feature a veterans monument. Already home to the city’s library and council chambers, the campus will soon be adorned with 8-foot-tall granite monoliths north of the fire station, just beyond the shade of the library’s towering pines. Approved by the Council on April 14, the $135,000 contract with the Cold Spring Granite Company initiates Rialto’s stone homage to its military service members.
Originated by the Rialto Veterans Committee, the project includes three large monoliths arranged semi-triangularly, with a fourth, smaller one etched with the history of the city, its veterans and their contributions. For visitors, the installation features two semi-circular benches enclosed by a brick walkway leading to the intersection at Willow Ave and W. First St., inviting passersby to rest and reflect.
Mayor Joe Baca Sr., an Army veteran and former paratrooper, said the installation is meant to honor those who served “in time of peace and in time of war,” adding that the freedoms Americans enjoy are rooted in that service. He noted that the project reflects years of effort to expand support for veterans locally.
For Councilmember Edward Montoya Jr., who comes from a family of veterans and served 17 years in the Army, the monument carries personal significance.
“Our veterans . . . deserve to be recognized,” Montoya said. “A lot of times, we feel as though we’re not looked at or we’re looked at in a negative light, and to know that we are honored, especially at a city level . . . [shows] what this community really cares about.”
Montoya added that recognition is particularly meaningful for those who feel their service is often overlooked or narrowly defined.
“I believe if you raised your hand to go do what others were not willing to . . . that makes you a veteran,” he said, emphasizing a broader understanding of service outside formal federal definitions.
Beyond symbolism, Montoya said the monument also reflects a broader commitment from the council to support veterans navigating issues such as disability benefits and reintegration into civilian life.
“We’re here, you know,” Montoya said. “I’m here if we have veterans out here in this community that need assistance with disability, or have questions with the VA, or navigating the VA, or just assistance with integrating back into society, into the community, I urge them to please reach out. I’m always available for my veterans.”
The granite installation is expected to be completed by September. Once finished, the site is hoped to reinforce the city’s commitment to honoring the sacrifice and service of its veterans.
