Students’ mural project to help combat graffiti in Crescent Park

City hall and a high school art group plan to install several murals in Crescent Park that not helps only combat graffiti but highlight seven historic bridges that once filled the area.

Project 104 High School Arts Collective and its graffiti team approached the public art committee recently about installing the panels on the Old Public Comfort Station building adjacent to the splash park. The Moose Jaw Police Service will fund the mural materials and supplies, while city employees will install the artwork once completed.

Each four-foot by two-foot mural image is based on research about Crescent Park that the University of Saskatchewan’s history department conducted. Each panel is a different scene, providing a historical look at the bridges that once adorned the park’s early history. 

The wood-composite, stained glass-looking Crezon panels — covered with anti-graffiti coating and designed for 25 years — will replace the current wood window coverings that vandals tag with graffiti, the group said. 

Panel one will feature a long curved path along the creek from the 1930s and ’40s.

Panel two will feature an intricately carved wooden-branch bridge adorned with flower buds and swans from the 1930s. 

Panel three will feature the original wading pool with a fountain from the 1920s.

Panel four will be the exterior southeast façade of the new library with a rock staircase from the 1930s.

Panel five will feature a tall wooden bridge with a wooden crescent moon and rocks on the side from the 1930s.

Panel six will feature a rock river retaining wall and a wooden fence with a bench from the 1930s.

Panel seven will feature a rock waterfall by the amphitheatre from the 1930s.

Emma Rowlinson is the project’s lead artist, while the group expects the murals to be ready by June 15.

During its May 8 regular meeting, city council approved the proposed project, authorized city administration to draft and execute an installation and maintenance agreement and authorized the mayor and city clerk to sign the agreement.

Coun. Heather Eby, council’s rep on the public art committee, praised Project 104’s presentation and the great package it put together. 

“Any concerns the committee had about that project were completely laid to rest that day,” she added. 

Committee activities

The public arts committee has talked about several noteworthy items during its past two meetings, according to its meeting minutes.

Consultations continue about where to put the bison sculpture and what the accompanying plaque should say. 

City administration will soon update the group about a possible new spot for the Stormin’ Main Street mural at 44 Fairford Street West. 

The committee wants to see a mural created to acknowledge the history of Robin Hood Mills. 

The location for the Ukrainian sculpture could be the flower bed at the Cordova Street entrance to Crescent Park. 

The committee toured the downtown recently looking for locations to display several sculptures that the art gallery has donated to the city, said Eby. The group also took an amazing tour of the art museum’s vault.

“We do have some good pieces … if we can ever find a spot for them and we could drag ourselves away from the vault,” she added. 

The next regular council meeting is Tuesday, May 23.