Work to Begin on Downtown Pergola

Construction is expected to begin on Ojai’s 160-foot-long downtown pergola next month, a year after the community-based effort to rebuild the historic structure began.

The Ojai City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to give its final approval for the pergola--or covered walkway--pending issuance of city and state permits.

About $90,000 of the $150,000 needed to rebuild the structure in front of Libbey Park has been raised, said architect David Bury, one of the principal organizers of the effort.

The pergola, built in 1917, became a focal point of community unrest in the late 1960s and was torn down in 1971 in what was seen as a message by city officials to encourage hippies and Vietnam War protesters who gathered there to move on.

“It’s gone incredibly well for something that supposedly was so controversial,” Bury said of the campaign to restore the pergola. “This is really a rebirth of something that was dear to many of us--healing old wounds and providing the basis for a downtown renaissance.”

Bury said the group has received almost no negative comments from the public, and that six city panels have given the project their blessing without a dissenting vote.

The 9-foot-high pergola is seen as an intrinsic part of Ojai’s architectural history.

Its mission-style architecture and arched walkways complemented the city’s arcade across the street. The rebuilt pergola will match the original down to a pair of 21-foot arches and a 12-foot-high fountain and horse trough that predated the structure by 10 years and was incorporated into its design.

The ornate centerpiece fountain was rescued by a local resident at the time the pergola was demolished and preserved.

Work on the pergola is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving.

Donations are still being accepted at Ojai Valley Bank branches.