City of Santa Clarita officials held a press conference Monday to update the public about plans to remove a billboard in order to clear the way for the future site of the Canyon Country Community Center.

Santa Clarita City Council members and City staff made their way out to the corner of Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway to say goodbye to the billboard that has towered over the intersection for decades.

Crews from Clear Channel, who have maintained the billboard for years, were on site preparing to remove it, with the billboard expected to be completely cleared from the corner by Friday.

Mayor Laurene Weste stood at the site of the future community center — where construction is expected to begin next month — and gave a brief update about the City’s plans for the area.

“The City has purchased this amazing site… We wanted to get ready to do the grading,” said Weste. “We’re going to be building a community center that will be an icon for families in Canyon Country.”

The City of Santa Clarita recently purchased the lot near Soledad Canyon Road and Sierra Highway adjacent from Vallarta Supermarket to build the new community center.

“The billboard is standing right on the corner where we have to do traffic improvements to allow for turning access in and out,” said Weste. “On that corner will be this beautiful, well-designed landscape entry courtyard for the front of the Canyon Country Community Center.”

The new facility is expected to open in 2020 and provide a space for kids to play and learn, along with basketball, cooking, painting classes for all ages and more, according to City officials.

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