Oxnard Transit Center Receives New Art Installations Resulting from ARPA Tourism Recovery Funds

Oxnard Transit Center (OTC) is home to new mural installations by artist Maxfield Bala, owner of BALA CREATIVE. Bala was commissioned to illustrate two interior murals: a 360-degree mural on the second-floor mezzanine with visuals spanning from Oxnard’s original Chumash inhabitants and early agricultural beginnings to current day, showcasing modern landmarks and points of interest, plus an entryway scene depicting a collage of Oxnard’s beaches and Channel Islands National Park. Bala also conceptualized and hand-painted a 474-square foot “Greetings from Oxnard” vintage greeting card-style mural on the exterior wall of the train station facing east toward the tracks.

Oxnard City Council unanimously approved funds for the projects, spearheaded by Visit Oxnard, the destination marketing organization for the city. “We are so pleased to see this project come to fruition, a direct result of the City’s investment in tourism recovery,” says Julie Mino, Visit Oxnard President & CEO.

The project was funded by Sections 602(c)(1) of the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund and 603(c)(1) of the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which provide that funds may be used to aid impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality.

Tourism was a heavily impacted industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, with Ventura County travel spending dipping from $1.8 billion in 2019 to $997 million in 2020. Tourism recovered to nearly $1.6 billion in 2021 and is on a trajectory to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with Ventura County outpacing State projections for travel spending.

“Oxnard Transit Center is an important gateway into our city,” says Steve Buenger, Chairman of the Visit Oxnard Board of Directors. “As such, it aligns with the Visit Oxnard mission and vision to inspire exploration from this transportation hub with imagery that depicts the rich culture embedded within the fabric of Oxnard. It is our hope that these murals allow visitors to feel welcomed into our community and residents to feel welcome home.”

Visit Oxnard eyed the transportation hub as a focal point for delivering its message of travel inspiration to both visitors and passers through. With Amtrak’s Coast Starlight offering a grand west coast adventure between Los Angeles and Seattle; Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner coasting from San Diego to San Luis Obispo and Metrolink commuter trains available daily, all with stops in Oxnard, Oxnard Transit Center is a natural venue to communicate with rail travelers. Add onto that the center’s many interconnecting bus routes via Greyhound, Gold Coast Transit District, Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) Intercity and Amtrak San Joaquin, and it’s easy to see how Downtown Oxnard has potential as a vibrant hub for visitors.

“As the Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Oxnard, I serve as a representative to the Gold Coast Transit District Board (GCTD) and the San Diego to San Luis Obispo Amtrak Pacific Surfliner Service (LOSSAN) board, and both services are regular users of the Oxnard Transportation Center (OTC),” says Bryan MacDonald. “As a person heavily involved in transportation, I often have the discussion with staff as to how we advertise the City of Oxnard as a destination point for travelers. The murals both inside and out, pay tribute to the rich heritage of the Chumash people and serve as a message to travelers that Oxnard is a hidden gem on the coastline that has so much to offer to the travelling community.”

For information on transportation in Oxnard, go to https://visitoxnard.com/plan/getting-around/.