NAGOYA--Five metallic plates embossed with the handprints of such Hollywood legends as Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable prominently displayed here for 35 years have been saved from the scrapheap for now.

Once a symbol of a sister-city friendship, the heavy plates are causing headaches for Nagoya officials struggling to find a new site to display them.

The plaques, which were donated from the U.S. city of Los Angeles, a sister city with Nagoya, had been installed in one section of the Hisaya-odori Koen park in the city center.

Officials decided to dispose of the plates as part of a redevelopment project, but the city assembly expressed concerns about the decision, saying that they shouldn’t be disposed of without careful consideration.

The officials decided to consider putting them on display again, but they have yet to find a new home.

The five plates previously embedded in the park were donated to the city in 1984 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Nagoya-Los Angeles sister-city relationship. Each plate measures 1.2 meters by 1.1 meters.

These are replicas of the original plates featuring the handprints, autographs and other entries of movie stars in the forecourt of what was then called Mann’s Chinese Theater, one of Hollywood’s must-see landmarks.

In addition to Monroe and Gable, the other plates honor Julie Andrews, Charlton Heston and Gregory Peck.

The park stretches north to south for about 2 kilometers through Nagoya’s Sakae shopping district. There are four squares in the northern area of the park, each of which is associated with Nagoya’s sister cities: Los Angeles, Mexico City, Nanjing and Sydney.

A total of 10 outdoor monuments given by the cities had also been installed.

DISPOSAL POLICY REVERSED

The city government has started the improvement work on the northern area to complete the project in 2020. These squares will be demolished to build commercial facilities such as a cafe and a restaurant. Of the 10 monuments, the officials decided to dispose of eight, including the handprint plaques, and relocate the remaining two.

The municipality explained that damage, corrosion and other deterioration had proceeded so quickly that it would be impossible for the plaques to retain their original forms because the damage could further escalate during the relocation work.

The officials also said there was a possibility that safety could not be ensured adequately after relocation.

The officials explained the situation to their counterparts in their sister city and gained their approval, they added.

However, the city assembly voiced objections to the decision during a plenary session in September.

“Most of the monuments given as a testament to continuing friendship are fading away,” said Nobuo Konba, who is a member of Komeito. “Do you really think it’s OK?”

The city assembly member called on the city government to seek ways to display the plaques again, saying that they shouldn’t be just readily disposed of if there were no damage or smears on them.

The city officials expressed their intent to consider utilizing the plates, including putting them on display again, saying that they were fortunate enough to remove the plaques during the construction process.

The officials said they had conducted routine checks on the monuments at least once a year only to ensure there was no danger and to see if there was any change in their condition. They decided to dispose of the monuments because of the belief that the structures had served their intended purpose.

But Konba questioned the decision.

“(The monuments) would have been spared from disposal if the city government had properly taken protective and management measures,” he said. “They lack the desire to take good care of the gifts.”

Meanwhile, the city officials are at pains as to how to redisplay the handprint plates, which weigh more than 100 kilograms each. They are housed inside the park, which is currently under construction.

“It is dangerous to lean them up against something, and they could pose a tripping hazard because some of the handprints are dented inward with the handprints,” said an official from a section in charge of urban development.