Since 1932, six employees of the City of Ontario have lost their lives while serving the City and its community. The City of Ontario has always been home to many dedicated public servants, and recently, the Ontario City Council, along with City staff, paid tribute to these six City employees by redesigning street signs that mark the six streets in the Ontario Ranch neighborhoods named after these fallen souls.
In the West Haven development, Ontario police officers Bernard Green, Louis Dulisse, Russel Grower and Richard Mason Hyche each have a street bearing their last name. In the Park Place development, Deputy Fire Chief Chip Smith and Ontario Municipal Utilities Company (formerly Ontario Water Department) employee C.D. Albright each have a street bearing their last name.
For the fallen police officers, the City chose to redesign the street signs to include a thin blue line flag, to represent the officers’ courage that they find deep inside when faced with insurmountable odds.
For the fallen firefighter, the City included a thin red line, a symbol used by fire departments to show respect for firefighters injured and killed in the line of duty.
And for the fallen municipal utilities employee, the City seal was placed as a symbol to his dedication to the City of Ontario.
“Our hearts go out to the families of all our fallen Ontario employees,” said Mayor Paul S. Leon. “We hope by honoring them in this way that we keep a small piece of their service alive in our community.”
Notably, the street pole holding each sign has a QR code posted that leads to the City Website where anyone can find information and biographies on each employee.
To visit these streets, go to Green Avenue, Dulisse Avenue, Grower Avenue, Hyche Avenue, Chip Smith Way and Albright Lane in the Ontario Ranch area. To see a map and for more information on the fallen City of Ontario Employees, please visit www.ontarioca.gov/memorials.