Designs being sought for new Beach mural to be painted on Foodland store wall

By KASY PERTAB

The well-known Foodland mural at Queen Street East and Lee Avenue was removed last year due to cracks in the wall. Now, Foodland has partnered with Mural Routes to produce a brand new mural for the Beach community.

The Sobeys Inc. owned company is currently calling for local artists to come up with designs for the new mural. It will be placed on the east-facing wall of the Foodland store at 2040 Queen St. E. It is scheduled to be revealed and commemorated by July 27 at the Beaches Jazz Festival.

In a recent press release, Mural Routes said, “The project aims to produce a new mural that celebrates Foodland’s commitment to the local community and the unique characteristics of the Beaches.”

The previous mural was removed in November 2018 due to significant cracks which caused flooding in the store. (See our story at https://beachmetro.com/2018/11/08/mural-removed-from-foodland-store-wall-at-queen-and-lee-will-be-replaced-in-the-spring/)

It displayed a scene of jazz musicians and popular Beach landmarks and was named Beach Got Rhythm. It was painted by Swiss-born artist Rudolf Stussi and his son Errol in 2007.

Artists who are interested must apply by Friday, March 8, and have from April 1 to July 27 to complete the mural.

The wall is approximately 20 feet by 100 feet and covered in textured concrete for artists to work with. Mural Routes has stated that artists who have a significant connection to the Beach have a better chance of being chosen.

Community members will be invited to give feedback by participating in a variety of mural consultation activities. These will include online surveys, an introductory mural program, and other consultations.

More information on the mural and the application process can be found at https://www.muralroutes.ca/Beaches-Mural-2019 or by contacting program director Tara Dorey at programs@muralroutes.ca.

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