Colour the Underpass

The Creative City Network of Canada (CCNC), a national non-profit organization made up of municipalities, organizations, and individuals that support cultural development in their communities, recently held their “Awards of Excellence”. For this initiative, a volunteer peer jury conducted a review of all submissions and selected successful candidates from last summer. The jury gave Honourable Mention to the City of Camrose for our work on the “Colour the Underpass Project,” praising “how much can be done with so little”.

The purpose of this City-led, community-driven project was to transform the underpass between the City's Rotary Park and Mirror Lake Park to a vibrant, welcoming, and artistic place for the community to use as a walkway. The Recreation and Culture Department worked to create a project that incorporated as many individuals and groups from our City as possible by bringing individuals, business, non-profits, cultural and recreational groups, and other community members together through art.

“The community came together in amazing fashion. Some artists took a planned approach for their piece while other community members stopped by just to add a flower or butterfly to the shared community drop-in panel,” Recreation and Culture Department Manager, Tanya Pattullo says. “One young mother and her daughter came to create a panel of art. Her comment when she left was, ‘That was the most fun we have had in 2 years’. This quote had resonated so much as I feel she spoke for the community. Experiencing lockdowns and closures during the pandemic, the community was ready to come together.”

Mayor PJ Stasko added, “There aren't many events that can touch the entire community. The ‘Colour the Underpass’ project proved to be such an event. Community pride was very apparent during the kick-off event through to the completion of the project. Whether you were an artist or an admirer, there was something for everyone.”

The "Colour the Underpass" project was able to provide an outlet and safe space for people to express their feelings. The collaboration, encouragement and compliments to all artists were abundant. Trail users were happy to see the transformation of the dingy space and celebrated with the artists on brightening up the dark underpass. Old, young, artist, amateur... everyone had positive, cheerful comments to share. Coming out of the pandemic, the "Colour the Underpass" project added some much needed colour to our community in a multitude of ways.

Jayda Calon, Recreation Program Coordinator says, “The Underpass project was the perfect opportunity to let creativity of the community shine. It gave every person involved the opportunity to not only design their mural but also the chance to paint and create their ideas on the wall canvas. This project also opened the door to artists and non-artists to have the chance to give mural art a shot which, is something very special. It’s pretty cool to say “yeah, I’ve done a mural” coming from anyone! The creativity that came from the Colour to Underpass is unmatched as shown through the final results that positively impacts and inspires the community.”

Pattullo concluded, “It has connected us in more ways than I could have even imagined or hoped for. It’ll remain one of the most important and impactful projects that I have been privileged to be a part of, so I am grateful that an organization, like the CCNC, recognized its immense value and significance.”

For more information, please contact:
Tanya Pattullo
Manager of Recreation and Culture
City of Camrose
Phone: 780.672.9195
tpattullo@camrose.ca