By Lexi McFarlane, Times Chronicle

A new mural by South Okanagan Secondary School students will be coming to the building that houses the Oliver and District Heritage Society (ODHS). 

At the Town of Oliver’s December 8 Committee of the Whole (CoW) meeting, ODHS Executive Director Darren Halsted brought forth a request to Council to install a new mural on the currently-blank West wall of the ODHS’s Archives building.

The mural would be painted by South Okanagan Secondary School’s (SOSS) art students on two separate fireproofed 4’x8′ plywood panels, then be installed onto the West wall of the Archives.

The proposed mural would feature both scenic and Indigenous imagery, with the base image being of a photogenic location like the MacIntyre Bluff, the four colours of the medicine wheel comprising the border, and the four food chiefs superimposed over the Bluff.

The project idea was offered to the ODHS by SOSS’s art teacher, upon hearing that the ODHS wanted to add the west wall murals while the south wall murals were undergoing renovations. It can be considered a positive in many regards, Halsted noted, saying it would be a boon to art students at SOSS, who would get a major opportunity to hone their skills. Additionally, it would be making use of local talent for a mural, and keeping costs minimal in the process. 

“The whole request I make is twofold,” Halsted explained in his presentation. “Firstly, for you (Council) to give an outlined indication that you would be prepared to (approve) this request, and secondly, is for consideration for grant-in-aid (funding).”

The estimated budget for the project was presented as $1,570, which included an honorarium for SOSS’s Art Club as well as contingency for any cost overruns. 

Town staff stated that the Unconditional section of Grant & Aid funding for 2025 would be too low to fund the project, but that there is over $12,000 in the Conditional Grant & Aid fund that could potentially be used. The proposal Council put together was to approve a transfer into the Unconditional Grant & Aid fund, to cover the project via 2025 funding.

Councillor Petra Veintimilla voiced ardent support for the project and the SOSS Art Club before motions were officially made.

“It’s very well thought out,” Veintimilla said. “It sounds fabulous to have the Art Club involved, to have them come up with the design.

“I’m sure what they come up with is gonna be great, and I’d be supportive of moving funds around… if it needs to be Unconditional.”

Two motions were put forth by Councillor David Mattes, one for the 2025 Budget funding of the project, and the other to approve the installation of the mural itself. Both passed with unanimous support from Council.

The project will be addressed again at a future Regular Council Meeting.