Old Town Newhall.
By Jan Heidt, Mayor Pro Tempore Of Newhall And Neighboring Communities.
Old Town Newhall Gazette, Spring 1997.
©1997, OLD TOWN NEWHALL, USA -- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Sometimes the best things in life are those that are tried and true. Perhaps that is why the City of Santa Clarita hopes to begin construction of its third Metrolink train station on the exact site of the original Newhall Depot, built some 120 years ago.
The new Metrolink station is expected to be constructed at Railroad Avenue and Market Street, bringing commuter and Saturday train service to the Newhall and Valencia areas. This new station is very important not only to the economic viability of the downtown Newhall area, but also for attracting Valencia residents to the Metrolink service.
Metrolink provides commuter service to Sylmar, Burbank, Glendale and Los Angeles Union Station, Monday through Friday, during the morning and afternoon hours.
Beginning in February, Metrolink expanded service to Saturdays, so that residents could take the train to destinations such as the Los Angeles Children's Museum and Olvera Street. As with weekday service, you may take the Metro Red Line and Metro Blue Line to other des- tinations in Los Angeles County on Saturdays, and connecting with Amtrak is another option.
The construction of the Metrolink station in Newhall is being done in con- junction with another project, the realignment of Railroad Avenue.
The Railroad Ave. project will improve pedestrian traffic while beautifying this roadway. Parking will be provided on both sides of the street, and landscaping, sidewalks and street lights are also planned.
Together, these two projects total more than $7 million. That's $7 million that is being spent in the downtown Newhall area!
The funding for these two projects is being provided through a series of grants and special financing. These include: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) supplemental; Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds; transit capital grant funds; Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) "Call for Projects" grant funding; and other transit funds.
By combining the two projects, the City is able to complete both the Railroad Avenue real- ignment and the Metrolink station, using federal and grant funding. Infusing these funds into the area will stimulate private investment in downtown Newhall, further helping this area of our City.
So, what will the new Newhall Metrolink station look like? When com- pleted, it will include 200 parking spaces, landscaping, and design aspects that will hopefully include ideas generated by residents. Many in the area have talked about incorporating a Western-Victorian theme. These ideas and more will all be welcome when discussions begin about the station design.
If you are interested in this project or any aspect of the revitalization of the downtown New- hall area, now is the time to get involved! For more information, contact Glenn Adamick in the Community Development Department at (805) 255-4352.
See you on the Metrolink!
to return to Old Town Newhall, USA