Users of John Peake Park and the boat launch may have noticed a change as they drive into the park.
Synergy is in the process of completing the installation of a brand-new community mural on the site of the old one that had been showing its age of late.
“It was really sad and depressing,” said Synergy Program Coordinator Alicea Sproule.
She doesn’t know the exact age of the previous mural but believes that its been at least eight years since it was put up by Synergy’s YELL youth group program.
The new mural should last at least five to 10 years before it starts to show wear.
While none of the current staff were involved with the original mural, YELL’s history led to Synergy feeling some ownership of the mural and responsibility for it.
With this feeling of responsibility over the mural and the need for something to be done to rejuvenate the mural, Synergy went to City council last summer to get approval for the revitalization project.
“And they approved it last summer,” said Sproule.
With the approval, a couple of youth interns under the supervision of one of the summer staff took on the project.
“They did a call out to local artists and local groups in Chestermere to see who wanted to be involved,” she said.
The new mural is made up of 12 panels. Three panels were reserved to recognize the contributions of the various groups who donated or volunteered with the project.
The remaining panels were given to local groups to paint within the broad theme of ‘Chestermere’.
“Camp Chestermere has two panels, Little Acorns Preschool did one the PLC kinder camp did one, our youth interns did two,” said Sproule.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said.
The style of each panel is completely different depending on who was painting it.
“One of them is the Little Acorns and theirs is just like finger painting and it’s just like adorable,” said Sproule.
She also said that there were other groups that were methodical and meticulous in painting their panel.
“It’s pretty cool to see them next to each other,” she said.
Tying the individual panels together with a common theme are wooden plaques painted with words that members of the community felt describe Chestermere.
The word panels came about after discussions with John Peake’s daughters to find out what they felt he would have liked to see in the mural.
“We had two community paint nights at city hall last year,” said Sproule, “and just invited anyone…to come paint a word that describes what community means to them.”
Synergy had everyone from business to individuals to families come out and paint a board.
“There’s something like 70-word boards,” she said.
Some words that were painted include; safety, lake life, and friendship.
Most of the new panels have been put up leaving just panels and the finishing touches still to be completed, something Sproule said should be done within the next two weeks.
“The only thing, really, left to do on it is we…have to put on the two sheet metal designs on there, and then cap the top and we’re going to wrap the bottom legs with rope,” she said.
