ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — The City of Zephyrhills is changing, and it’s showing that in a unique way.

The city just unveiled a new mural in downtown on Wednesday. It’s a visual way to show how the historic downtown is growing.

Artist Jonathan Sierra was chosen by the group Main Street Zephyrhills to paint a mural that showcases the “City of Pure Water.”

Sierra is from Lakeland and dove into the city’s history for the project.

“I learned that there was a lot more to it. I learned that there’s a city that’s growing, that wanted to embrace change in a new way,” Sierra said.

He paints a woman whose face is creating ripples in water, showing the other life that the water touches, like sea and plant life, which he also painted.

“I wanted to connect humanity to water — dipping its face in that life, into that connection of all things that are living in the Zephyrhills area,” Sierra said.

The painting wasn’t done just to make one building look better. The city looks at it as showing just one part of how Zephyrhills is changing.

“We see it as part of the resurgence of downtown,” said Gail Hamilton, the head of the Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency. “Downtown is going through some changes, and the mural is part of it.”

She says that over the last five years, more folks have made their home in historical downtown. Businesses have moved into old buildings and have restored them, including the building that the new mural is on.

Main Street Zephyrhills was formed last year to help improve the historic downtown. The business organization paid for the mural to help show off those changes.

“We wanted to add a focal point. People could recognize that Zephyrhills has a little bit of a change to it,” said committee member Martin Harm.

It’s a change that Sierra is proud to express through his art.

“I’m super moved to be a part of this wave of art that is hitting Zephyrhills, and this new wave of culture and community that is going to continue to grow.”