White Rock will be commissioning two new murals for the waterfront area in 2025.
At council's Feb. 24 meeting, members unanimously approved the recommendation from the city's public art and culture committee to move ahead with plans for the murals, one in the West Beach section and one on East Beach.
Recreation and culture director John Woolgar told council the murals are planned for the parkade at Victoria Avenue and Vidal Street (replacing the current mural honouring first responders and health-care workers painted during the COVID-19 pandemic) and the Balsam Street comfort station.
The parkade mural – which he said would have "an expanded footprint" – would have a theme of 'natural environment,' while the mural at the comfort station, which would wrap around the whole building, would be on a theme of 'vintage' White Rock.
The two murals will cost a total of $61,000, which would be allocated, and is available from, the Public Art and Placemaking Fund, Woolgar said.
"The next steps would be an artists' call-out and the formation of a selection committee made up of representatives of the public art and culture committee and local artists, to select the final mural designs based on the approved themes," he said.
The call for artists was issued in a media release Thursday (Feb. 27).
"Artists are encouraged to interpret the theme in a way that speaks to their unique vision while incorporating elements that reflect the spirit, history, and natural beauty of White Rock."
In answer to a question from Mayor Megan Knight, Woolgar said the intent is to leave the themes loosely defined for submitting artists.
"We want to allow for some artistic licence from the artists so they have the ability to be creative with their submissions," he said.
"So somebody may come back with a starfish, and somebody may come back with a forest theme?" Knight suggested, with which Woolgar agreed.
For the vintage theme, Knight wondered whether it would include old beach scenes, and Woolgar agreed that it might indeed include images based on old beach photographs, although the mural would be an artist's painted impression rather than a wrap-around of photographs.
In answer to a question from Coun. David Chesney, Woolgar acknowledged that while the process for public art has been for selection committees to make the final decision on art works, designs could be brought back to council for final approval.
"We do have some leeway, although it will be tight – we want to hit the window to paint this summer."
Coun. Christopher Trevelyan received confirmation that the artist who painted the existing mural on the parkade (Jim Davidson) had been reached out to by the city, noting that the artists understood that his tribute to first responders and health-care workers, painted in 2020, would not be a permanent mural.
He agreed with Chesney that it would be good for the designs to appear before council for a final okay.
"At the end of the day, the buck stops at this table, so I wouldn't mind a final look before it gets out there."
Artists and artist teams interested in applying are encouraged to review full details and submission requirements at whiterockcity.ca/public-art
