A proposal to put up an archway in East Salinas has been pulled by Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo, who first floated the plan last year.
In a statement, Alejo said he is withdrawing his proposal to develop a gateway “Alisal Arch” after the project became increasingly divisive in the community.
“This proposal was always meant to uplift East Salinas and celebrate the identity, people, history and strength of our community,” said Supervisor Luis Alejo. “Unfortunately, a small but vocal group has turned what was intended as a unifying beautification project into a source of division and dissension. That was never the goal.”
Alejo committed $100,000 in discretionary office funds as seed funding for the proposed arch in January.
Since then, the Alisal arch proposal has been pilloried on social media and been the subject of public comments during Monterey County Board of Supervisors and Salinas City Council meetings.
Addressing the mounting controversy during a Feb. 3 city council meeting, Mayor Dennis Donohue thanked the supervisor for his interest but assured the public the proposal was “premature” and no commitment from city officials had been made.
Alejo said he originally introduced the proposal to help implement a key recommendation of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan, which was approved by the city of Salinas in 2019 as a comprehensive, action-oriented strategy to strengthen East Salinas neighborhoods.
One of the plan’s stated goals is to:
“LU 7.1.e Create Gateways to Mark Key Entrances to the Alisal: Well-designed gateways help create a sense of place and let travelers know they are entering a special area. Gateways commonly include signs as well as arches or other large public displays.”
“The proposed Alisal Arch was intended to beautify the corridor, unify the community, and serve as a lasting source of pride for families and neighborhoods throughout East Salinas,” continued the statement.
In addition to the $100,000 as seed funding, the goal of the project was to leverage additional contributions from private donors and establish a partnership with the city to bring the project to completion.
Now, the previously allocated funds will be redirected toward advancing improvements at the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, expanding recreational opportunities for the youth and families of District 1 and throughout Salinas.
“While I remain proud of the vision behind the Alisal Arch and grateful to the many residents and businesses who expressed support, it has become clear that this is not the right time to move forward,” Alejo continued. “Our focus should remain on projects that bring our community together.”
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Supervisor Alejo pulls ‘Alisal Arch’ plan amid community outcry
Reporting by Roseann Cattani, Salinas Californian / Salinas Californian
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