Murals in the Village
Acting on Opportunity
2020.10 ~ 2022.10 are key dates for this year and two years out. To put the words ‘opportunity knocking’ in context, the potential exists for the City of Delta to host the biennial Global Mural Conference (GMC) in 2022.
This conference is facilitated by the Global Mural Association (GMA), a non-profit organization founded in 1997 by Dr. Karl Schutz, the visionary behind the murals program in Chemainus, BC. The 2020 GMC takes place over four days in Hua Quan Village, home to artists and musicians from across China. This village is surrounded by over 100 murals, all part of ‘The Miracle Project’ by artists from around the world.
For the City of Delta to host the 2022 conference, it must meet GMA’s 14-point criteria; firstly by becoming a member of GMA and sending a representative to the 2020 conference. All ‘pie in the sky’ until the City decides to act on this opportunity.
Revitalization ~ Creating a Sense of Place
Conceptual work and an open dialogue with community began in the Fall of 2015, when longtime Ladner resident – Richard Mayer – sensed heightened concern by the City of Delta with respect to sustainability of south Delta businesses as the Tsawwassen Mills mall was breaking ground. Also at that time, the Delta Street Revitalization project was entering the construction phase.
Meeting with the LBA Executive in November 2015, Richard shared his vision of a revitalization concept for Ladner Village, one that would create a ‘sense of place’. A fundamental consideration put forward was preserving and/or enhancing the heritage character of the Village, showcasing Ladner’s rich history in the form of murals.
Murals in Ladner Village
Dialogue between key individuals in the City of Delta and Richard Mayer from late 2015 to current date has been productive, with advice given freely by Dr. Karl Schutz, Serge Malenfant, GMA President, and Tom Andrews, President, Chemainus Festival of Murals Society. In addition to this dialogue, the Rotary Club of Ladner invited Richard to deliver his presentation entitled ‘Delta Renewal – Our History as Murals’ to the Executive and members at their April 30th 2019 luncheon.
One outcome of dialogue in Delta is a mural now being conceived for the TELUS Building on 48th Avenue, at a key entrance to Ladner Village. Kudos to all involved for their commitment to this project!
Schutz recommended several murals be undertaken at the same time, creating a festival to celebrate Delta’s heritage while the art is being created. This to emulate the success Chemainus realized during creation of its first five and all subsequent murals… 50 murals now exist in Chemainus, awaiting discovery by residents and visitors alike. Some 90,000 to 100,000 visitors travel to Chemainus every year to enjoy beautiful murals in the ambient setting of a quaint Vancouver Island town.
Carpe Diem
To ‘seize the day’, the Delta Murals Society (DMS) is being established by a group of longtime residents who are passionate about a murals program in Delta, community wide. The inaugural DMS Board are exploring five additional sites to complement the TELUS Building mural being managed by the City.
One site being considered is Ladner Fishermen’s Hall, the former train station of historic Port Guichon that was relocated in 1929 to its present location on Savoy Street. It is a well-loved community hall that is rented out to an assortment of activities… The Boxing Club, Cribbage League, Girl Guides, Boy Scouts, Dance Lessons, Martial Arts, Jazzercise and Yoga classes. There have been many weddings, funerals and general meetings held at the Hall as well.
Stay tuned for updates as this exciting community initiative unfolds!
About Richard Mayer… he loves being creative! You could say it’s in his DNA, a gift he applies liberally to all facets in his life… design, art, music, photography and fly fishing …to name a few passions. For more info on Richard, click here.
For more info…
Richard Mayer
CEO, Inspiration
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