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Friends of the Tehachapi Depot, artists and city mark depot anniversary and public-art unveilings
Summary
City and volunteers celebrated the Tehachapi Depot’s 15th anniversary since reopening, accepted a Union Pacific Train Town USA designation and announced several downtown public-art unveilings and summer events.
The city of Tehachapi and Friends of the Tehachapi Depot announced plans this week to mark the depot’s 15th anniversary since it reopened, including a Union Pacific Train Town USA designation and a series of public-art unveilings and community events.
Diana Burton, president of Friends of the Tehachapi Depot, said the city repainted railings and replaced the skirting beneath the depot deck and that volunteers and public works staff helped ready the building for a Thursday ceremony. “The city has repainted the railings around the depot. They have replaced the entire skirting of below the deck with brand new bright yellow wood. It just looks like a brand new depot again,” Burton said.
The group expects Union Pacific to present a Train Town USA designation at an 11 a.m. ceremony; organizers then plan a short walk to Railroad Park for a noon unveiling of a new mural called the Loop Loop mural. The depot celebration will be followed by an all-day community festival Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with vendors, a yard sale and hourly signal-light activations, Burton said.
City staff also described related summer items the council was briefed on: a Farmer’s Market that begins Thursday, a pilot “entertainment zone” in downtown where participating businesses can opt in to limited outdoor service rules, and VIP depot tours for guests after the Train Town ceremony. Staff said the entertainment zone will not be a no-rules open-container area and that communications staff will publish explanatory guidance.
Council members and staff also highlighted ongoing mural work downtown. Council member Jeanette (surname not specified in the transcript) said a new monolith mural and a restoration of several older works will be unveiled in coming days; the council indicated a related ceremony and educational programming honoring Kawaiisu culture are planned for June 19 at 4 p.m. The city said it has provided coloring books and invited elders for a blessing and drumming ceremony.
The community-engagement presentation thanked volunteers, the chamber of commerce and public works for assisting with depot repairs and the anniversary programming. No formal council action was required for the depot designation or the mural announcements; the items were presented as community updates.
The council also noted a household hazardous-waste event at the landfill this weekend and that Tehachapi appeared on an online list of attractive places to move to and to retire, items city staff described as positive press for quality-of-life promotion.
Community members and the council were invited to the depot and mural events; organizers requested no further action at the meeting.
