The Metrolink station in north Pomona has a nifty new piece of public art. It looks like a railroad water tower and has vintage-style images on two sides. Metrolink dispatches all its trains in six counties from an adjacent facility there in Pomona — yet another feather in Pomona’s cap — and is upgrading its communication and dispatch system.

The agency first proposed a simple, bare antenna for the station off Garey Avenue, between Bonita Avenue and Arrow Highway. City Hall, unimpressed, made a counter-offer.

“We wanted a better design and suggested a water tower with orange crate labels reminiscent of the old citrus packing labels of the area. They agreed,” said Mark Lazzaretto, the city’s community development director. “Our Cultural Arts Commission eventually chose the two images on the tower from a few samples that Metro provided. It was built within the last few weeks. Cool, huh?”

Indeed. Above is the view on the west side; below is the east side view. That station, located in an industrial area, was previously rather bleak, but with a new platform and expanded parking lot installed a couple of years ago, and now this tower, things are looking up. Good job all around.