Global Road Trips Magazine, Prado Dam bi-centennial Mural

200 Years of Freedom, 20 Years of Neglect The beloved Mural was designed and painted by the Corona High School students to commemorate this countries Bicentennial. At 6 times the size of Mount Rushmore, its numbers 1776 - 1976 and the stars and stripes rise nearly 100 feet along the Dam's 2000 foot long spill way.

EST: The Army Corp of Engineers is proposing a complete removal of the 1976 Prado Dam Bicentennial Mural, located in Corona California. Note that there are no follow up actions regarding the repainting and restoration of the Mural, which marks the 200th anniversary of our Country. The beloved Mural was designed and painted by Corona High School students to commemorate the Bicentennial. It's 1776 - 1976 numbers painted with the Stars and Strips rise nearly 100 feet along the Dams 2,000 foot long spill way. (See photo above on left.) There has been no public debate on the removal of the mural. It should also be noted over the last 20 years, the Corp has not had an adequate system in place to maintain the Mural. Any repairs by volunteers have been waved off on the premiss of lead paint. The mural, was defaced in 2013. It is seen by the 300,000 cars that pass by daily. Considering the Corp is a US Military organization it must be disheartening for military families who have lost loved ones in the defense of this country to see the stars and stripes defaced. Multiple groups have volunteered over the years to repaint the mural. But it now seems theses groups would have been better off starting a "Restore the Prado Dam Mural" organization to raise donations for their own paint removal and restoration while convincing the Army Corp of Engineers to bide by the public's will. The Corp has done a great job on the Dam's improvements to protect lives and property from a potential flood. In their Public Notice, "Proposal to Remove Lead-Based Paint From The Prado Dam, At Corona, California" they propose removal through a re-cycled water jet system to catch lead particles. The proposal looks to be sound. However, if the Mural is stripped from the concrete without marking the existing letters and Liberty Bell location, or without a mechanism in place to restore it, will it mean a new mural must be re-permitted? If that is the case, to get a new permit approved from the Costal Commission, Streams and Rivers, EPA, Parks Services, County, State, City and Federal would be like winning the Power Ball Lotto 10 times in a row. The mural would be permanently lost. Does the mural need to made a landmark to protect it? Our local governments and politicians have the clout to determine the Mural's fate. They must go on record and take a stand now to either keep the mural or allow its destruction.
0000000	00000
000000

One last note: 43 Million Americans now live in poverty. In the year 2000 there were 114 million jobs held by American citizens. In the year 2014 that number has not changed. Why are so many Americans struggling, hurting or depressed with no hope? The current condition of our Bicentennial Mural seems representative of our cultures degeneration.

In 1976 graduating High School students were given red, white and blue tassels to commemorate the Country's 200th anniversary. That year a new President would be elected and the Vietnam War was behind us. The Freedom Train was at the Pomona fair grounds. On Board were George Washington's copy of the Constitution, along with Martin Luther King's pulpit and robes. The Mural on the Prado Dam Spillway shinned with fresh paint.

There was a new feeling that summer, our country was going forward and most important, it gave us pride in our country and what it was to be an American, to see all these sites. If in 1976 the drivers on the 91 Freeway would have seen the current condition of the mural, there would have been a barrage of news cameras and phone calls to elected officials. It would have been earth shaking. No American would have stood for it.

Maybe if some big Politician would have loaned their name to the mural on a plaque, Sacramento would have kept the Mural in tip top shape. Sadly it should have been enough that the mural was commemorating America's 200th anniversary. Perhaps to the current bureaucracy, it was just an art project of some high school students.