On the move
Former Summerside Legion mural finds new home in downtown outside of Credit Union
SUMMERSIDE – Downtown Summerside has a new but familiar piece of outdoor art.
A mural by artist Greg Garand was recently installed on the east wall outside of Consolidated Credit Union on Water Street.
The art piece had previously hung on the side of George R. Peakes V.C. Branch No.5 Royal Canadian Legion on Notre Dame Street since its creation in 2000.
The scene depicts three men and one woman dressed in the uniforms of the different branches of the Canadian Armed Forces in addition to battle scenes on land, sea and in the air.
Fred Horne, who is with Culture Summerside, said the piece is one of several in the downtown commissioned as part of the Millennium Program and installed over a few years. But with the sale of the Summerside Legion in 2013 and its subsequent renovation, the city took down the mural a couple of years ago and put it in storage for safekeeping.
Horne said they’ve been keeping an eye out for a suitable new home for it ever since. Finding one proved more difficult than expected.
“It needed a new home. But spaces of that size and with a pretty good location are not that plentiful when it comes down to it,” said Horne.
An opportunity arose though after Consolidated Credit Union purchased and tore down its neighbouring building, the former long-time home of Kelly’s Flower Shop, in 2017.
The Credit Union intends to turn most of the now vacant lot into parking spaces, but about a quarter of the lot will eventually be turned into a small park with some green space and benches.
As part of that green space, the Credit Union will be adding two plaques, one to commemorate the former Kelly’s Flower Shop building and a second to explain the significance of the mural.
Sarah Millar, general manager of Consolidated Credit Union, said the art piece is a good fit.
“We wanted to make sure we respected the heritage part of it and the story part of Kelly’s Flower Shop, and then to have the veteran’s mural, it just makes sense,” said Millar.
Horne said it’s a relief to know the art piece has a home in a visible part of the city.
Also, unlike some of the murals scattered around the downtown, this one is in pretty good shape, he added.
The artist did some touching up of the paint, but other than that it was still in good condition.
In 2013 the city had to remove a large mural called “Sleet Storm” from a building in the downtown as it had been damaged in a storm and its condition had generally deteriorated. There are a total of nine murals in the downtown, all with historic themes.