The Volunteers; "Ribbon Cutting Chemainus Style".
Mural 40 6.4m x 3m (21' x 10')
This mural is Honouring the volunteers and others who where instrumental in making the Mural project world famous.
The Mural Artist: Dan Sawatzky 2007
Mayor Graham Bruce and The Honourable Minister of Municipal Affairs 'Bill Vander Zalm' cutting the “ribbon” to officially open the Chemainus Downtown revitalization project on April 23rd, 1982
Mayor Graham Bruce, who had the foresight, vision and courage to prevent the 1981 recession impacting on Chemainus, instigated the downtown revitalization project by appointing a “Chemainus Downtown Development Committee” which guided the Revitalization, made recommendations to council, as well as approved the mural project. The committee was made up of its chair: Graham Bruce; Council members, Alan Hussey and Rex Hollett, as well as volunteer Sandra Heydon; Gerry Philippson; Gordon Swanson and Bill Jameson.
In addition there was the group of seven: which represented the interest of the chamber of commerce and where leading the ‘YES’ vote for the revitalization.
Chair: Al Johnson; Joe Hudak; Tony Monco; Jack Jameson; Bill Jameson; Vern Kay and Joe Jeles.
Others honoured in the mural where the very first mural Artist Frank Lewis. British Columbia’s Revitalization coordinator: Martin Thomas.
Catherine Fyffe, Mural’s office manager, as well as Dr. Karl Schutz, the official coordinator of the 1981 downtown revitalization project and the man who introduce the mural idea in 1971 to Chemainus which was finally adopted in 1981.
It goes without saying that there where literally hundreds of volunteers who were instrumental to its success, to many to be portrait in this mural, to know who they are, we suggest you look up all the names in the 1981 to 1987 Chemainus phonebook.