Mural finished 30 years after introduction
The man who introduced an art project in the 1980s will be there to see it unveiled on February 19.
Sid Sims, a beach lover and ‘ideas man’, has been working with the Ohawe community to complete the project that he first mentioned in a meeting more than 30 years ago.
And although the Ohawe Collaborative Mural may not have turned out how he first envisioned it, Sims likes how the idea has panned out.
‘‘I thought it would be more of a street art kind of thing, just getting a couple of artists to do a mural,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s developed into more of a community project, which is awesome.’’
The idea resurfaced after the Ohawe Progressive Association president went through the old minutes, saw Sims’ idea and raised it again.
Since then the Ohawe community, whether they live near or far, have depicted what Ohawe means to them.
Anne-Maree Godfrey, who has done a lot of administration and funding for the project, said the mural had drawn families from all over.
‘‘We had people coming from other places who have links to Ohawe, like people grew up here and who no longer live here,’’ she said.
The mural will be made up of three boards and covered in tiles that the community painted during three workshops in July.
This is where people were asked to answer the question ’What does Ohawe mean to you?’ with paint.
Godfrey said they had more than 80 people at the workshops - adults, children, secret artists - and ended up with close to 60 tiles and had more to come before the unveiling.
Head artist Caryl Murray said the project had worked out really well.
‘‘It’s been a bit of a process along the way but it’s come together. It’s very exciting,’’ she said.
The Ohawe Collaborative Mural, which will be placed on the outer wall of the Ohawe Hall, will be unveiled at 11am on Sunday by Mayor Ross Dunlop, followed by refreshments in the hall.