Residents Turn Out En Masse to Demand Ortega Park Murals Be Saved
Bilingual Saturday Event Organized By One Community Bridge Project, Bienestar Latinx, and City Officials
This Saturday, a throng of Santa Barbara residents turned out to Ortega Park to voice their ideas for the future of the park’s murals. The murals ― colorful depictions of Aztec, Chumash, and Chicano imagery ― were originally slated for removal as part of a city-funded redevelopment plan meant to bring new amenities to the space, such as sports fields, a heated swimming pool, tree-lined promenades, and more.
But, upon learning about the plans that included no mention of preserving the murals, local residents and activists last year called upon the City Council to find a way to save the works of art. They continued to speak out on Saturday, this time in person at a bilingual event organized by the One Community Bridge Project, Bienestar Latinx, and the City of Santa Barbara.
With about 150 people in attendance, many citizens demanded that the city leave the park and the murals as they are, or at least preserve the murals while updating and adding amenities. This viewpoint was voiced despite the fact that the city has already determined that some of the murals have weathered enough damage that they can’t be safely relocated and will have to be repainted or memorialized in another way.
