Matt Halm put the finishing touches on Catasauqua's welcoming mural on the corner of Pine and Front streets recently.

"We have a few spots we want to touch up and then get an acrylic sealer on it," he said.

Halm and his assistant, Christopher Kosztyo, began the project in mid-August as part of the borough's revitalize through the arts program. Catasauqua's Main Street Initiative, a council of local business owners, proposed the mural as part of a Gateway project. The business committee, led by Chris Smith and Kimberly Brubaker with assistance from Sharon Davis, Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, secured project financing with a county grant.

"The whole project consists of the mural, street lights and streetscaping," said Davis.

The mural brightens the space on the corner and adds a point of interest for motorists coming in to town on the recently refurbished Pine Street Bridge.

The brick building serving as the canvas for the artwork is owned by Prakash and Eela Thakrar.

"The Thakrars paid to get the building prepped and ready for painting and then Matt took it from there," said Davis.

According to Halm, the paint used is a specially formulated acrylic. Once all the details are touched up, an acrylic clear coat is applied to protect the mural from the weather.

"It should last for decades," said Halm.

A dedication is planned for October when the street lights and the streetscaping are in place.

"The lights were delayed by the manufacturer, but we should have them installed in time for the dedication," said Davis. The new streetlights are an art-deco style that closely matches the new lights on the Pine Street Bridge.

In addition to the Catasauqua welcome mural, the project depicts historical events in the borough's history. Six panels, framed by blocked up windows in the original building, follow the borough's past from its founding, its role in the Revolutionary War, industrialization and as it's welcome home of war veterans.