LAMORINDA WEEKLY | 'Town of Moraga' signs get an overdue facelift


Harnoor Lal at the St. Mary's Road sign Photo Vera Kochan

There are four signs that greet first-time visitors and residents entering Moraga. For years those first impressions of the town had become shabby with neglect. Thanks to the efforts of prospective Eagle Scout Harnoor Lal, three of the four signs have been refurbished. Not stopping there, he will also repair the Moraga Library's sign.

Lal, a 16-year-old Campolindo student, is in the process of achieving an Eagle Scout rank. Only 4% of those enrolled in the Boy Scouts of America earn this highest honor. He credits Chris Kolm, Scout Troop 234 advisor, as the middleman who helped to coordinate with the town on the merit badge project.

Given the choice of either fixing the town's signs or refurbishing the trail signs, Lal chose the town signs for their high visibility. They are located on the town borders at Canyon Bridge, Moraga Way, St. Mary's Road and Moraga Road. The public works department provided the brushes and paint - choosing brown, green and white for an environmental blending-in effect. Lal provided the rollers, nuts and bolts.

Lal worked on the St. Mary's sign alone. "It took me about two and a half to three hours to do. It involved taping the interior edges to give it a fine detailed look. As I worked, I got the idea of painting the lettering in a way that gave it a 3-D affect." Scouts in his troop helped him with the other signs earning Lal another merit badge for leadership as he managed his work crew.

Not being satisfied to just paint the signs, the perfectionist in Lal intends to drill holes into the tops of the sign posts to allow water drainage, thereby avoiding the wood rot which befell the previous incarnations. His parents, Ashutosh and Aseem, had only one request - that he get the project done over the summer so as not to interfere with school.