Victoria’s Canada 150 Mosaic mural unveiled!

This past August, over the course of two days, Victorians gathered together in the courtyard at the Greater Victoria Public Library to each add their artistic talent to a large mural representing the spirit of the Capital Region.

On Thursday, Dec. 1 the Victoria Foundation was delighted to unveil the final mural for the first time to those who made it possible: the residents of Greater Victoria.

Hosted by Victoria Foundation Board Chair Patrick Kelly, the event was also joined by the Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant-Governor of BC, and Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Peter Fassbender. Fassbender and Foundation Board Director Carey Newman, who also came up with the design for the mural, pulled down a massive Canadian flag to unveil the 8’x12′ mural to a gathered crowd on Broughton Street.

The mural commemorates Canada’s upcoming 150th anniversary and the Victoria Foundation’s 80th birthday by celebrating the Capital Region; its people, its surroundings, and its history. It is made up of 864 tiles – each four inches square – painted by Greater Victoria residents.

Since May 2015, towns, cities and villages across Canada have been creating individual murals depicting their community, under the guidance of Lewis Lavoie’s Mural Mosaic, a company based out of Alberta. Each mural incorporates a train car, which in spirit, will join the other murals to form a gigantic trans-continental train 150 train cars long.

The Mosaic mural is now on display for all on the outside of the Waddington Building complex (home of the Greater Victoria Public Library’s Central Branch) on Broughton Street, directly beside the entrance to the City of Victoria parkade. Can you find your tile? 

For more photos of the unveiling, click here.

Read the Honourable Judith Guichon’s speech here.

Read Carey Newman’s speech here.