About This Site

City Government

Departments

Requested Information

Home

Feature Story:

Wall Street Alley Celebration

Downtown businesses and city officials celebrated the completion of improvements to Wall Street Alley on Saturday, December 14. Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall and City Councilmember Sue Benham thanked Wall Street alley businesses for enduring months of dirt and dust. The result is an eye-catching block of large trees, concrete pavement, decorative light poles, and lighted bollards like the ones that are on corners along Chester Avenue. Large wrought iron gates at either end of the alley can be closed to allow for large gatherings and festivals.

Mayor Hall, Councilmember Benham, and Downtown Business Association President Fred Prince arrived at the celebration in classic cars and made their remarks in front of one of the murals gracing Wall Street. The mural, set in 1898, was a perfect backdrop for carolers from Spotlight Theatre, dressed in period costumes, who entertained the crowd before and after the ceremony. Jerry's Pizza owner Jerry Baranowski provided cider and then fired up his grill to prepare food for the crowd that gathered just prior to the start of the Downtown Christmas Parade.

At the official ribbon cutting, several Wall Street business owners joined in:

Mario Alvarez of Pacific Jewelers, Dana and Ken Reed of Guthrie's Alley Cat, and Cindy and Mario Chavez of Paco's Tacos, and Jerry Baranowski.

The idea for improving Wall Street Alley sprung from the Downtown Design Charette in 2001.

Back to City Highlights