Tom Moore was more than the quintessential firefighter.

He was also a devoted family man who cherished his children.

That’s why he’d be pleased at the scene that unfolded after a new park on Enchanted Drive in southwest Manteca was dedicated on Friday morning in his honor..

There were several families with kids flying kites and blowing soap bubbles in the grassy storm retention basin while more than 50 firefighters in Class A dress uniforms from various department milled around  after the ceremonial ribbon cutting.

Moore, who had more than 20 years of service with the Manteca Fire Department, was a captain when he was killed during a training accident on June 19, 1999.

The park itself is the latest to “break the mold” for parks placed in neighborhoods in Manteca.

Mayor Gary Singh was more than pleased at what he saw at the park where the fences were taken down just a few days prior to allow public access.

Singh lauded the variety of amenities including three concrete table tennis tables, sand volleyball court, a compacted area designed for yoga and stretching, two cornhole courts, a concrete basketball court, a shade structure with picnic tables,  and a backstop with an in-place partial fence.

Toni Raymus — the developer of the 1,245 homes in a series of planned neighborhoods dubbed Manteca Trails with different price points — noted the first park was designed more for “adult use”. There are more parks on the drawing board for the development.

Singh said the variety of amenities being offered are “developer driven” with Raymus leading the effort.

Raymus, who grew up just outside of Manteca, has fond memories of her parents taking her to various city parks.

Both Singh and Raymus said they like the idea that the city will have a variety of park offerings that don’t follow the cookie cutting pattern of amenities that Manteca deployed for years when neighborhood parks were created.

They also like the idea having different amenities at different parks will encourage existing residents in established areas of Manteca and newer residents in areas where growth is taking place to travel to different parts of the community.

As such, Singh hopes it re-enforces that Manteca is one community and encourages people to venture out of their neighborhoods.

A park that will be built in a neighboring development — the 827-home Lumina at Machado Ranch — will also have features that break the same-old, same-old mold.

It will feature a 10-acre central park — the largest park yet in Manteca that isn’t a community park like the 50-acre Woodward Park.

It will include a restroom.

Seniors who drive to various parks in town to walk the perimeters have been making request of the council to have a park where they can access restrooms, according to Singh.

The restrooms will also complement the park that will have an area for neighborhood and community gatherings including a picnic area designed for low-key “block parties” or even a small-scale farmers market.

For years, the city — except at community parks such as Woodward and Library parks — has refrained from building restrooms.

A city policy originally was put in place not to build restrooms at parks due to the cost of maintaining them. In later years, homeless sometimes became an issue.

The new parks, however, have all of their maintenance costs covered by community facilities district fees assessed on nearby homeowners.

Back in June 2022 when the council voted to add restrooms to the park, Singh said the city shouldn’t let “homeless” issues dictate the design of neighborhoods. He added residents — especially the elderly and parents with young children — using parks  want to have a restroom nearby if the need arises.

 It is especially true of neighborhood parks where the city has included playing fields large enough for youth soccer team practices.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com