About the Program
The mission of the Belton Legacy Program is to provide the citizens of Belton with an
opportunity to honor or memorialize an individual or group through the beautification
of the City’s park system.
Tree Dedication & Planting Information
Program participants may choose from several different trees, benches, etc. Each of the
tree’s species has been researched to ensure that it is compatible with area growth and
weather conditions, to increase the tree’s chance of survival after planting. The trees can
range in size but are generally purchased in 30-to-50-gallon buckets, with consideration
given to larger sizes. A customized dedication marker may accompany the gift but will
incur an additional cost.
The City Parks and Recreation Department will help individuals select an appropriate
species and location for their tree. After the program participant makes a selection, the
City will acquire, plant, provide dedication ceremony materials (if desired), and maintain
and replace the tree, if necessary, for a period of three (3) years after the tree has been
planted. Replacement of program trees will be done as discretionary funding allows. If the
tree becomes damaged, diseased, or needs to be replaced for any other reason after the three
(3) year period, the City will make a good-faith effort to reach the contact person specified
on the application with options and instructions on how to replace the tree at donor’s
expense.
Each participant will receive a certificate of planting signed by the Mayor and City
Manager and a location map for the tree.
Program Item Selections
Take time to review all of the available options of trees or benches available through the
Belton Legacy Program. Please understand this is not an exhaustive list and the program is
flexible. If you wish to discuss an original idea or a unique way to contribute to our parks
system or other facilities, please contact our helpful staff.
Monetary contributions are always welcomed and appreciated. All gifts are tax deductible
and may be allocated for a specific improvement project or given to the parks system as a
whole. If making a monetary donation, please make your check payable to the City of
Belton, P.O. Box 120, Belton, Texas 76513.
Belton Legacy Program Application Form
Name of Donor or Representative: Date:
Mailing Address: Phone:
City: State: Zip: Email:
Location for Desired Item:
Item(s) for Donation:
Tree and Bench Options
Texas Red Oak
Texas Red Bud
Live Oak
Texas Mountain Laurel
Bur Oak
Monterrey Oak
Chinquapin Oak
Magnolia
Pecan Heritage Bench
(8ft, 6ft, 5ft available)
If you are interested in a dedication marker please include wording below:
*Pricing may vary depending on final approval.
A proof of plaque will be provided before order is submitted.
Maintenance & Replacement Agreement
Once you have reviewed the following information, please sign and date using the spaces provided. Your
signature indicates that you have read and understand the terms and conditions of the Belton Legacy
Program’s Maintenance and Replacement Agreement.
Once application has been made, the City of Belton will conduct an approval process of item(s) and
suggested placement.
Once payment has been received, the City of Belton will purchase the item(s) and assume
responsibility for installing and maintaining them at the chosen site.
Trees, benches and other items will be installed during suitable weather conditions and when City
personnel are available. Trees are typically planted twice a year, on National Arbor Day and Texas
Arbor Day
The City will maintain or replace all trees, benches, pursuant to the schedule provided in the Legacy
Program.
The City is not responsible for the repair or replacement of dedication markers for any reason,
including, but not limited to weatherization, vandalism, or theft.
Each gift will be maintained in the original location, or in an area near the original location. Donors
will be contacted in rare cases when an item needs to be relocated. If the person specified on the
Application Form does not wish to pay for the relocation expenses after the expired maintenance
period, then the gift will be at the sole discretion of the City of Belton.
It should be understood that donations to the Belton Legacy Program for items in no way constitutes
ownership of the item, the land upon which it is situated, or the surrounding lands. Nor does it permit an
exclusive right of use of property. Furthermore, the City retains the right to use lands adjacent to the
donated item as it deems appropriate, or to relocate the item if redevelopment of the area warrants this
action.
Applicant Signature: Date:
If you are interested in donating to assume naming rights of a facility, please contact our office to
begin a conversation regarding your proposed request. If you are interested in making a donation to
the Belton Legacy Program, or would like further information please refer to the frequently asked
questions or contact:
City of Belton
Parks and Recreation Department
401 N. Alexander Street, Belton, TX 76513
Office: 254-933-5860
Fax: 254-933-2469
parksandrec@beltontexas.gov
www.beltontexas.gov
Trees
Additional trees will be considered for the Legacy Program, upon request.
Texas Red Oak
Texas Red Oak is a medium to small tree with spreading branches, sometimes (rarely) growing over 75
feet, but usually 30 to 50 feet. It is found on alkaline limestone and neutral to slightly acid gravels and
sands of north central and central Texas west to the Pecos River. Along the White Rock Escarp-ment
through Dallas to San Antonio there are hybrids of Texas Red Oak and Shumard Red Oak, Q
Shumardii; the pure Texas Red Oaks exist to the west. Texas Red Oak is smaller, more often multi-
trunked, and more drought tolerant than Shumard Red Oak. The foliage turns bright shades of vivid red
and orange in autumn. The bark is dark gray to black with plate like scales, although sometimes it is light
gray and smooth.
Plant Habit or Use: medium tree
Exposure: sun
Flower Color: reddish-brown, catkins 1 to 3 1/2 in. long
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: acorns, reddish-brown
Height: to 75 ft.
Width: to 60 ft.
Plant Character: deciduous
Heat Tolerance: high
Soil Requirements: alkaline adaptable
Live Oak
Escarpment Live Oak can be thought of as a smaller version of Live Oak (Q. virginiana). It grows on
well-drained soils from alkaline to slightly acid, although it is rare in the heavy clay of the true Black-land
Prairies. It is thicket-forming, spreading from root sprouts to form "motes." Escarpment Live Oak is more
drought- and cold-tolerant than Coastal Live Oak (Q. virginiana) and can grow in more alkaline soil. In
large portions of Central Texas, the live oak populations are hybrids between Q. fusiformis and Q.
virginiana. Both species are susceptible to the oak wilt fungus.
Plant Habit or Use: medium tree
Exposure: sun
Flower Color: green catkins
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: elongated acorn
Height: 20 to 50 ft.
Width: 25 to 40 ft.
Plant Character: evergreen, semi-evergreen
Heat Tolerance: very high
Soil Requirements: adaptable
Trees
Bur Oak
Bur Oak is a majestic tree of the tall grass prairie that once covered central North America. It grows best
in deep limestone soils of riverbanks and valleys, but it will adapt to many different environments. It has a
long taproot, which makes it drought-tolerant but also hard to transplant. It is fast growing, long-lived
and casts deep shade. Bur oak is noted for its very large leaves and acorns: the leaves are from one-half to
one foot long, and acorns can be as large as 2 inches long and wide, enclosed in a cup with fringe on the
edge.
Plant Habit or Use: large tree
Exposure: sun
Flower Color: catkins 4 to 6 in. long
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: large acorn to 2 in. around with fringed cup
Height: 60 to 70 ft.
Width: 60 to 70 ft.
Plant Character: deciduous
Heat Tolerance: very high, high
Soil Requirements: adaptable
Chinquapin
Oak
Chinquapin Oak is an attractive medium to large shade tree suitable for use in much of Texas. Its
distinctive saw-tooth leaves, which resemble those of the chinquapin tree found in the eastern U.S., are a
rich green, turning yellow to bronze in fall. It grows in the wild on well-drained bottomland soils and
limestone hills near water, but it is adaptable to a range of soils and exposures. Seldom troubled by
diseases or pests, it is moderate to fast-growing and develops an open rounded crown as it ages.
Plant Habit or Use: medium tree, large tree
Exposure: sun
Flower Color: green, males in catkins 3-4 in. long
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: acorn, dark brown
Height: 50 to 90 ft.
Width: 20 to 40 ft.
Plant Character: deciduous
Heat Tolerance: very high
Soil Requirements: alkaline adaptable
Trees
Pecan
Pecans are large deciduous shade trees tolerant of conditions in all of Texas. They are healthiest in rich
deep bottomland soils but will adapt to lesser sites. Supplemental water is needed in the Trans-Pecos
area. They are the fastest growing of all the hickories, but like the others of the genus they are difficult to
transplant because of their large taproot. While the foliage is fairly fine textured, the tree drops fruit
(source of edible pecans), twigs, leaves, and sometimes branches, making it a less than perfect landscape
plant. Pecan is the state tree of Texas.
Plant Habit or Use: large tree
Exposure: sun
Flower Color: green, females inconspicuous, males in catkins.
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: edible nut enclosed in a thick
leathery four-valve husk.
Height: to 90 ft.
Width: to 75 ft.
Plant Character: deciduous
Heat Tolerance: very high
Soil Requirements: acid, neutral
Texas Mountain Laurel
Texas mountain laurel grows in limestone soils in Central and Southwest Texas and to 5000 feet in the
Chisos and Davis Mountains. This slow growing evergreen may be grown as a medium to large shrub or
trained to a single or multi-trunk tree. The pinnate leaves with their lustrous, leathery upper surface
provide yearlong beauty, enhanced in mid-spring, by the densely flowered racemes of lavender or violet
pea flowers having the scent of grape Kool Aid. Both seeds and glowers are quite poisonous and contain
narcotic properties. Good drainage is a must, as is frequent monitoring for “the worm”, the Genista moth
larvae which can decimate the foliage in a few days and is its primary pest.
Plant Habit or Use: large shrub, small tree, medium tree
Exposure: sun, partial sun
Flower Color: purple, lavender, violet, rarely white
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: bean pod
Height: 15 to 35 ft.
Width: 10 ft.
Plant Character: evergreen
Heat Tolerance: high
Soil Requirements: neutral, alkaline
Trees
Texas Redbud
Texas redbud grows on thin, calcareous well-drained soils west of eastern redbud's native habitat. It is
smaller and more drought tolerant than its eastern relative, with thick, leathery, much smaller leaves that
have wavy margins. The waxy upper surface of the leaves helps retard transpiration. It is most commonly
multi-trunked.
Plant Habit or Use: small tree
Exposure: sun, partial sun
Flower Color: pink to magenta
Blooming Period: spring
Fruit Characteristics: small, flattened pod and seeds
Height: 15 to 20 ft.
Width: 15 to 20 ft.
Plant Character: deciduous
Heat Tolerance: very high
Soil Requirements: adaptable
Bench Donation
The dedication of a park bench is an excellent way to pay tribute to a special person while
significantly enhancing the usefulness and attractiveness of the City’s parks system. Each
bench will serve as a lasting and highly valued contribution that will be appreciated by
residents and visitors as they search for the perfect place to sit, relax, and enjoy Belton’s
quality of life.
The Belton Legacy Program provides for contributions of a new/replacement park bench
at one of the City’s parks. The donation covers the cost of the base material, the bench, the
three (3) year maintenance and replacement agreement. A marker may be included at an
additional cost, subject to approval. Styles and materials for the benches are limited to
maintain consistency throughout the parks.
Other Donations
The Belton Legacy Program is open to ideas other than trees and benches
for donors to select with some applicable restrictions. Ask about pricing and
group or combination projects.
Pavilions with Picnic Units
Pavilions with picnic units are extremely useful and
prominent contributions. Your gift will provide a
pleasant place for park goers to rest or have a bite to
eat. Please ask for more details on the parks needing
picnic units. Adding a barbeque pit to the location is
an additional enhancement to consider.
Pocket Parks
Designing a pocket park is the most unique way of
honoring or memorializing someone or some group.
Depending on the location, a pocket park can
incorporate nearly any type of park amenity from
benches, flower gardens, water fountains, shrubs,
picnic tables, etc.
These larger open spaces take a bit more planning
but offer a beautiful addition to a park. You will find
several pocket parks adjacent to the Nolan Creek
Hike and Bike Trail; however, they are not limited
to that location. The City has many trail locations
that would benefit from a serene rest area.
Playground Equipment
Playground equipment is always a crucial need in
the City’s parks system. Gifts may be directed to the
park or playground-area of choice, some restrictions
apply. The equipment selected must be approved
and installed by the City.