New mural unveiled at Brock St. shelter
The city’s newest mural revealed Friday was designed to reflect the resilience that’s happening inside the building’s walls.
Images of strawberries, dandelions and mushrooms now adorn the YES Shelter for Youth and Families’ east-facing facade off Brock St.
The trio are hardy vegetation that grow back every year, no matter what, said Andrea Manica, one of the mural’s artists.
“It kind of reflects the people at YES and how they might be going through some hardships but they’re still able to pull through,” said Caitlin Taguibao, who created the piece with Manica.
Dandelions often grow through cracks in the sidewalks, Taguibao pointed out, where other plants can’t survive.
The strawberries also pay tribute to the Brock Street Burial Site, which is in the north end of the Brock St. parking lot.
When the bones of an Indigenous man were discovered in the parking lot years ago, they were eventually turned over to Curve Lake First Nation where they were rededicated to the land.
At the rededication ceremony, strawberries were eaten and shared among those attending.
“We wanted to reflect the area and pay tribute to what’s come before us,” Manica said of the berries.
The two Toronto-based artists spent 15 days painting the mural onto panels in a Toronto studio.
Friday was their first time seeing the panels affixed to the two-storey brick wall, creating the mural.
“It was pretty exciting to see it in person,” Taguibao said.
Manica was also excited to see the piece all as one, and said she was impressed with the work of the installers, whose precision was impeccable.
Meagan La Plante, executive director of YES, said the mural turned out better than they ever could’ve expected.
“It looks absolutely beautiful,” La Plante said.
The mural celebrates resilience, kindness and compassion, which speaks to YES’s core values, the executive director said.
And hopefully it’ll bring some comfort to those using YES’s services, she said. “Anyone who’s here is going through a really challenging time and so my hope is that it can inspire people and provide some colour and warmth during a challenging circumstance.”
The mural was funded by the city as part of an ongoing public art program and cost $20,000.