Massive mural painted at Victoria Legion branch to deter graffiti
![legion mural The new mural is shown. Nov. 7, 2022 (CTV News)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2022/11/7/legion-mural-1-6143216-1667872521607.jpg)
A Royal Canadian Legion branch in Victoria that, for years, has been the target of graffiti has a new Remembrance Day-themed mural.
The Burnside Gorge Community Association reached out to the Trafalgar Pro Patria branch of the Royal Canadian Legion after the agency’s building had been repeatedly hit by graffiti.
The community group partnered with Legion to have a mural designed and installed at the branch at the corner of Gorge and Jutland Roads in Victoria.
"When the Burnside Gorge Community Association Graffiti Fighters group decided on a project we wanted to do, we approached the Legion," said Burnside Gorge Graffiti Fighters coordinator Rachell Westman.
"This mural project was so important to our community and it brought us together," she said.
Westman says though the theme of the mural was to honour veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, it was important to represent all members of Victoria’s Burnside Gorge neighbourhood.
"It needed to reflect the community as a whole and it was very important that it reflected the Legion,” said Westman.
"Another important aspect of the mural was to have some representation of the First Nations," she said.
The vibrant colours of the mural offer a stylized view of British Columbia’s west coast at sunset. A moon in the style of Indigenous artists can be seen rising over the coastal waters.
The new mural is shown. Nov. 7, 2022 (CTV News)
The mural measures approximately 2.5 metres by 18 metres and has a border of poppies along the lower edge. Kelly Everill, a Comox Valley-based mural artist, was commissioned to design and paint the public artwork.
Now that the mural is complete, Everill hopes it will bring a new level of dialogue regarding the sacrifices made by veterans to secure the freedom enjoyed by Canadians.
"The inspiration for the design behind this mural was to bring awareness to the veterans who have fought for our freedom," said Everill. "The theme is for peace, tranquility and respect."
The mural cost $30,000 to complete, with part of the project funded by a grant from the B.C. government's "Strengthening Communities" program.
The Burnside George Community Association and Legion secured the balance of the funding with a grant from the City of Victoria’s "My Great Neighbourhood" program.
The massive mural was completed on Oct. 24 and took four days to complete. The paint applied to the surface of the wall has been treated to make it more resistant to graffiti.
Staff of the Trafalgar Pro Patria Legion branch say the mural has brought a renewed sense of pride to its members.
The painting of a bagpiper in silhouette atop a hill behind a field of poppies was an element of the mural that resonated most with the Legion’s members and veterans alike.
The Legion’s manager says completing the mural, with its rows of poppies, before Remembrance Day was an important step in honouring Canada’s veterans.
It is hoped that the mural will also raise awareness about the Legion and the work it does in an effort to encourage more people to join the service and social organization.
"This is the 100th anniversary of the poppy and to have [the mural] here in time for Nov. 11 was huge," said Trafalgar Pro Patria Legion manager Lorrie Weston.
"Hopefully this will bring more light to the Legion," she said. "And come in to our doors, because everyone is welcome."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
AS IT HAPPENED Wildfire reaches Jasper Wednesday night, causes 'significant loss'
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.