Work Under Way on City Welcome Sign

Construction of a sign to mark the northwest entrance to Arleta is under way after a fund-raising campaign by the Arleta Chamber of Commerce collected more than $4,000 in donations.

Chamber members are hoping that the “Welcome to Arleta” sign, combined with the future community boundary signs, will end the confusion about Arleta’s boundaries.

“It’s not going to be a mystery anymore,” said chamber President Jose Bonilla. The community is surrounded by Pacoima, Panorama City and Sun Valley.

The signs will also “give this community recognition,” Bonilla said.

Workers have already poured a concrete foundation for the sign on a small triangular-shaped lot at Woodman Avenue and Branford Street. The sign, which will consist of a brick pedestal with bronze lettering, is expected to be completed by the end of May, said Patrick Vincent, a chamber board member.

Vincent said the fund-raising drive, which was started in December, fell short of the $10,000 needed to pay for the sign. But chamber officials are hoping that donations will continue to be made while the project is under construction. If donations still come up short, the chamber will pay the difference.

At the urging of the chamber, Councilman Ernani Bernardi asked the city’s Transportation Department in March to replace seven missing community signs that mark the boundaries of Arleta, said chief deputy David Mays. It usually takes the department two to three months to erect the signs, he said.