Daylight Savings Sunday and a threat of rain aside, a lively gathering of impassioned preservationists and river-loving locals turned out for the first in what will hopefully be an escalating Spring and Summer series of colorful campaigns to draw awareness on the plight of Petaluma's woefully delapidated railway trestle.
Snapping the photo opportunity from across the river, a familiar song replayed itself on loop in my still sleepy mind. There's a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza. In this case, rather: There's a hole in your historic Trestle, dear Petaluma, dear Petaluma. And something really must be done about it. Soon.
In case you hadn't noticed, last time you took a riverfront stroll by the Apple Box to the Balshaw Bridge - the sorry state of affairs that is the very edge of the city's National Register-listed Petaluma Historic Commercial District will stop you in your tracks. Time now for the people to take back this decrepid, yet fixable treasure by appealing to a potential National audience.
In my previous feature on the newly launched (National Trust for Historic Preservation) This Place Matters Campaign to save the 500-foot long railroad trestle, I went into more detail as to its potential $5 million restoration. In the bigger scheme of things, it's shocking that sufficient funding has evaded this wonderful, new riverfront park plan from being brought to fruition.
The more I hear of Bay Area's tech billionaires and corporations booming in the region, the harder it is to wrap my head around a community the size and strength of Petaluma failing to figure out the wherewithall to fix one of its founding landmarks.
As a wise man in my midst, known not to mince words, said: "If we were a Greek fishing village and this was our harbor, would we allow it to crumble into the sea?" No. We'd rally the troops and get the job done. It's a sense of pride.
As an immigrant, of European origins it's especially hard for me to comprehend a lack of focus on finding a solution to salvage a thriving city's commercial heritage, especially seeings as there wasn't a lot of commercial heritage to speak of just a short half century or so before the Trestle was built.
According to National Register Standards, The Petaluma Trestle is defined as an “historic structure”. It was constructed in the spring of 1922, serving as a vital commercial link to provide the young city economic prosperity. As stated in a detailed 2007 Historic Structure Report by Past Consultants LLC for the City: "It was a major part of the commercial web connecting Sonoma County’s agricultural bounty with Petaluma, its river and the delivery of goods, services and people to San Francisco."
By casting its crumbling shadow as well as its extraordinary potential as an educational waterfront, walkway and park, on a greater, National platform, there is chance that the Trestle's plight will catch the attention of grants and resources so desperately needed to revive its restoration.
Given that the community of Petaluma has rallied its troops considerably over the past few years in support of other vital and important stretches of its beloved tidal slough, now would be the time for our most intrepid, vocal folk to step up in the downtown area and battle for the Trestle.
What can we do to help? Start by sharing photos and updates on the Petaluma Trestle This Place Matters Campaign with friends, family, coworkers, on social media.
Call 707 778 7878 to sign up for informational updates on future This Place Matters photo opportunities and gatherings.
And who knows, maybe large business interests in the area such as the Dutra Group, for instance, whose plans for a highly controversial Asphalt Plant recently won approval for an up river revival of its own commercial enterprise might find it hard to resist stepping up as goodwill ambassadors and sponsoring a portion of the Trestle's restoration costs.
Comments