A public art wall is hoping to capture the community spirit that exists in the Royal City.
The City of New Westminster has collaborated with Tourism New Westminster and the Downtown New Westminster Business Improvement Area to launch a Moments Made in New West public art wall at the site of the recent fire on Columbia Street. The groups kicked off the initiative on Saturday, when crowds gathered downtown for the Santa Claus Parade.
“Everyone was very open to writing on the wall,” said Maddi McKitrick, a program and events coordinator with the downtown New Westminster Business Improvement Area. “We had people writing their memories.”
McKitrick said people thought the project was a great idea and were excited to put their thoughts on the wall.
Members of the community and visitors alike are encouraged to stop by the wall and write their thoughts on what New Westminster means to them.
“This is a great initiative that truly captures the spirit of our community,” Mayor Wayne Wright said in a press release. “While the fire on Columbia was devastating, this event has caused many to take a close look at what our community is all about and express ideas about where we are headed. The Moments Made in New West wall is an outlet for people to share their hopes and aspirations for their city.”
The Moments Made in New West public art wall is part of a two-month long campaign to attract people to New Westminster’s downtown in the wake of the fire. The wall incorporates the words History, Celebrate, Future, Memories, Community and Experiences, and encourages people to share their thoughts on what those words mean to them.
“We want the wall to not only be filled with kind messages to the fire-affected businesses, but also with stories of memorable moments people have had in New Westminster throughout the years,” said Tej Kainth, executive director of Tourism New Westminster. “The purpose of this wall is to celebrate the changing times of our historic downtown.”
Representatives from the New Westminster Downtown Business Improvement Association and Tourism New Westminster attended the Santa Claus parade with markers and encouraged parade-goers to add their thoughts to the wall.
“This community is amazing, and we know that at the end of the day, this wall is going to capture the spirit that makes New Westminster so special,” Kainth said.
