I am excited to announce that two new murals will be coming to Bay Ward this summer/fall. Both projects are the recipients of a Paint It Up grant, a Crime Prevention Ottawa funding program which encourages the involvement of youth in public art projects.
Phase 2 of the mural at 2880 Carling Avenue will see an extension of the vibrant depiction of outdoor summer activity designed and painted by local artist Kalkidran Assefa and the young people of Bay Ward in 2021 that is depicted here. This time, young people in the area will work with Claudia Salguero, whose whimsical murals are on public structures all across Ottawa. The project will be sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club, Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre and the City of Ottawa. To add to the fun, the unveiling will be planned in conjunction with a local youth basketball tournament.
The second mural will be installed at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa on Cleary Ave. The mural will overlook the Ajashki Heart Garden, part of the Ajashki Food Security and Climate Change Learning Centre. It will be a garden-themed mural highlighting food security, reconciliation and climate change and include images recognizing that the participants at the Ajashki Learning Centre are gender diverse First Nations, Inuit, Metis and non-indigenous youth. It will be adjacent to NCC property and accessible to residents of the area.
I look forward to the community engagement and collective pride we will all feel whenever we walk by these great art projects.
