Mural brings a touch of colour to Callander
Youngsters brighten up vandalised garden shelter
A new artwork was unveiled in Callander on Saturday which community activists hope will be a draw for both locals and visitors.
Local councillor Martin Earl unveiled the colourful 8ft by 4ft mural that has just been installed in the shelter at the Frerichs Memorial Garden in South Church Street, opposite Callander Library.
The mural has been created by several young people attending youth clubs at Callander Youth Project Trust’s premises in Bridgend with the help of youth worker Danielle Fitzpatrick and under the expert guidance of local architect and artist Chiara Fingland.
It presents a familiar panorama of St Kessog’s, the Meadows, the Red Bridge and Ben Ledi (with a rainbow) and brightens up the shelter, which is well-used by locals and visitors - and not just when it rains.
The project was commissioned and paid for by local amenity group Greener Callander, part of Callander Community Development Trust, who since 2013 have been improving and maintaining the community gardens in this much frequented part of the town.
As member Lesley Hawkins explained in her introduction to the ceremony, the shelter had been unfortunately vandalised and even set on fire at the beginning of last year, which detracted from the attractive character of the rest of the site. She had contacted Councillor Earl who managed to persuade Stirling Council to rebuild the shelter rather than let it fall down or remove it altogether, in the name of “health and safety”, as they had been proposing.
She said she hoped the cheerful mural, which has been waterproofed and installed by members of the Fingland family, would be seen as a valuable community asset for many years to come.
Councillor Earl added: “It was a real pleasure to be asked to
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carry out the official unveiling of the mural and what a lovely, bright piece of art it is. This area of Callander is a great spot due to the efforts of so many volunteers who have created such a welcoming space. Involving the youth project in producing the mural was an excellent idea and they were helped by Chiara and Danielle to produce something that transforms the shelter.”