By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Public art + police station + local artist = community.
That’s the winning equation for two murals to be created on the outside of both the Chatham-Kent Police Service headquarters in Chatham and the Wallaceburg station.
According to a report released at a recent CKPS Board meeting by Deputy Chief Kirk Earley, Cerah Steele has been chosen as the artist to paint the Chatham mural.
The project’s vision goes beyond art.
“The mural will act as a visual representation of the shared values, aspirations and unity between the Chatham-Kent Police Service and the community of Chatham-Kent,” Earley stated in the report. “The mural will create a deeper respect for our organization and encourage a positive perception of policing in general, while fostering a sense of belonging within the community.”
The anticipated cost of the Chatham installation is $25,425. Mayor Darrin Canniff and Chatham Coun. Marjorie Crew have each contributed $5,000 from their Hydro One community fund to the mural. Total cost to the police is $15,425.
A similar initiative is getting off the ground in Wallaceburg. The Chatham-Kent to the Power of Young People – CKY Advisory Group and Bkejwanong Youth Council have put out a call for artists between the ages of 15 and 39, connected to either C-K or Walpole Island First Nation, to create a 10×10 mural.
Two artists – one from C-K and one from Bkejwanong Territory – will each receive $2,500, with the mural to be completed and installed this spring. The goal is to create a piece that honours the history of both Chatham-Kent and the area’s First Nations traditional culture.
The painting will be located at the Wallaceburg Municipal Service Centre, which houses the police station and fire hall.
