The mural project for the wall behind the Tarentum Station restaurant is picking up steam, according to borough officials.

Borough Manager Bill Rossey said he has been contacted by five local artists who want to volunteer their services for the project.

Councilman Ray Kerr, who is coordinating the project with Rossey, said more artists are needed on a volunteer basis since the borough wasn’t able to secure a grant to pay for the project.

He said paint for the mural is being donated by two borough paint stores: Van Sciver’s Wall Covering and Paint and Verner’s Paint Center.

“Right now we are moving pretty good on it,” Kerr said.

Rossey said a primer was applied to the wall over the weekend.

It’s ready for the mural, which will be 175 feet long and range from 6 feet to 4 feet high.

Kerr and Rossey said the mural will have a historical theme, using the image of a train, but with the cars of the train depicting historical people and events related to the borough.

“What we need now are people (subjects) from Tarentum,” Kerr said. “We need faces if anybody can come up with some pictures, they would be welcomed.”

Kerr said the project should be completed before the end of summer.

“It will certainly be a point of interest for people coming through town to pass by and look at that wall, ” Rossey said.

In other business:

• Council approved applying for a federal Community Development Block Grant for Streetscape improvements to the business district.

The application will be for $105,000 to do the actual improvements, such as new sidewalks and lighting, according to Rossey. He said that will supplement a $60,000 grant the borough received this year to pay for planning of the improvements.

Rossey said the borough will be putting out a request for proposals on designs soon.

In addition to the $60,000, the borough also has set aside $15,000 from its budget for planning costs, Rossey said.

He also said that it also is reserving $45,000 to use for the improvements and could use money left over from the $75,000 reserved for planning to pay for the actual work.

He said borough officials believe they can do at least one block of E. Sixth Avenue and try to do subsequent blocks every year.

• Council has granted permission for the Alle-Kiski Historical Society to hold a Civil War encampment in Riverview Park. The encampment by re-enactors will be Aug. 21 and 22.