A total of nearly $80,000 will fund the restoration of the Marching Through Time mural in Porterville. Photo by David Hensley

The Porterville City Council announced Thursday the approval of the restoration and repainting of the “Marching Through Time” mural located in Centennial Park.

The request came from the Porterville Mural Committee along with recommendations from the City’s Arts Commission. Previously, the city council had appropriated $40,000 for the mural’s restoration.

The mural, unveiled in 2012, depicts historic Porterville music personalities including Dale Anderson and Buck Shaffer, both band directors for Monache High and Porterville High, respectively.

 

According to a press release from the City of Porterville, “the mural has experienced significant flaking and deterioration of the paint, which led the mural’s artist, Glen Hill of Three Rivers, to contract with Fine Arts Conservation Laboratories (FACL) for the specialized project.”

The project will be carried out in two phases: first focusing on deterioration, and later focusing on efforts to apply protective layers to ensure the longevity of the mural.

The FACL determined the restoration cost to be $38,227, of which the city council’s $40,000 appropriation will cover.

An additional $37,500 expense of the artist will come from proceeds from two cannabis dispensaries opening in nearby downtown Porterville.

Denise Marchant, who represents the Porterville Mural Committee, expressed her appreciation to the city council for its support of the mural’s restoration.