Friends and family of Diann Ring, the former mayor and City Council member who died in March 2024, gathered at the foot of Claremont Hills Wilderness Park October 27 for a plaque unveiling dedicated to her long-time goal of keeping the 2,600-acre park free from development.

Ring family members in attendance included her husband Robert Ring and children Robert H. Ring and Susan Ring.

Robert H. Ring said the ceremony was a special moment for his family and the many people who have grown up near the park. “These hillsides are sacred to us,” he said. “There couldn’t be a more valuable investment a community can make, and it takes leaders like my mom and the many others involved to make that a reality. So, I’m proud of her, I’m proud of Claremont. It’s just a wonderful day.”

Ring’s husband Robert said, “From the very early days, this was her passion and vision.”

Claremont Mayor Corey Calaycay echoed the praise for the late Claremont leader.

“Many of you know that as a member of the league of women voters and then as a Council member, her vision for the community was assuring that in perpetuity, we wouldn’t see houses on these hills in the same way that we see them on Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles,” Calaycay said.