A steel sculpture designed by David Best is going up at the roundabout where Petaluma Boulevard South meets Crystal Lane, and the Petaluma Rotary Club now needs one more push to finish paying for it. The club is seeking $40,000 in final funding for the Spirit of Petaluma Beacon project, which carries a total cost of $200,000, with $160,000 already collected through private donations and a Rotary Club contribution.
The Petaluma City Council is scheduled to consider the proposal on July 20, 2026, according to the Press Democrat. The City of Petaluma describes the piece as a Corten weathering steel sculpture featuring an illuminated circular structure. The roundabout itself was formally designated in Petaluma’s Public Art Master Plan as a preferred location for a major southern gateway installation, the city says, meaning the site was chosen for this purpose long before the Rotary’s proposal arrived.
Design-wise, the beacon will include a saucer suspended on a high tower of ornamentally latticed iron, with a large saucer-like cylinder displaying the name Petaluma in capital letters, per the Press Democrat’s reporting. Lights will illuminate the structure every night after sunset, and drought-tolerant landscaping will surround the base. Rotary Club of Petaluma is conducting a community-led fundraising campaign that the outlet reports will last six weeks.
What the Extra $40,000 Would Buy
The additional funds would support three specific add-ons beyond the core sculpture: a Rotary Peace Pole, a landscaped Petaluma selfie spot photo area, and a dedicated stewardship fund. The Rotary Peace Pole is described as a permanent symbol of peace, friendship and Rotary’s commitment to a better world, and it would be placed near the beacon itself. The selfie spot would provide a landscaped space for residents to gather and take photos, while the stewardship fund would maintain the beacon, its lighting system and its landscaping going forward…