COQUITLAM, B.C., Aug. 3, 2023 – New murals, feature lighting and more have started to make an appearance across Coquitlam through the City’s streetscape enhancement program.
City staff updated Council Monday on the implementation of the two-year program, which is beautifying and enlivening streetscapes and public spaces throughout the community with public art and amenities.
Creating Safer, More Engaging Streetscapes
The City’s streetscape enhancement program is bringing improvements to key business areas and City gateways. Streetscape enhancements encourage community connection and pride, promote outdoor living, support tourism and economic development, and improve safety. For example, new street furniture, architectural features and public art attract people to outdoor spaces and business areas, while feature lighting helps make streets and public spaces more vibrant, walkable and safe at all hours of the day.
The City is working with local businesses to select and coordinate the projects, which are funded by $400,000 from the Land Sale Reserve Fund as well as $1,000,000 from a Destination Development tourism grant. The City is also pursuing Corporate Partnership opportunities to support the proposed initiatives.
Program Delivers New Public Art
This year’s streetscape program will deliver five new murals through a youth team, the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation and a public call for artists. Tying in with the City’s focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, the overarching theme for this year’s murals is Belonging and Diversity.
The first mural went up in July: a vibrant Alice in Wonderland-inspired scene on the Place des Arts Renaissance building (1200 Brunette Ave.), painted by a team of youth led by experienced mural artist Jocelyn Sanchez to support the Summer Theatre Troupe’s outdoor performance of Through the Looking Glass.
Another mural is being designed by a multi-generational kʷikʷəƛ̓əm team, led by Sweewa (Joseph Kambeitz) an esteemed kʷikʷəƛ̓əm elder who is an experienced artist, for part of the front and side of Town Centre Park Community Centre (formerly the Innovation Centre 1207 Pinetree Way). The design concept will come in the fall and the mural will be painted before the centre’s renovations are completed in 2024.
Later this summer, three more murals will bring new life to blank walls in City Centre and Maillardville. In July, the City and Cultural Services Advisory Committee wrapped up a call for artists to create murals. A full list of 2023 selected artists and their biographies is included in a backgrounder. The locations and artists include:
The selected artists are now developing their designs and will paint them in late August and September.
Lighting, Gateway Features and More
Year-round feature lighting on boulevard and median trees along Brunette Avenue is scheduled to be installed starting Aug. 6, and was designed to align with the seasonal lights at Mackin Park.
Tree lighting concepts are also being developed for City Centre with plans to share information with area residents and businesses. The feature lights will be installed this fall, and illuminated during the darker winter months from mid-November to mid-February.
Two significant gateway projects are also planned for key City and commercial zone entry points.
Letter illumination is being added to a Coquitlam gateway sign on Lougheed Hwy., and will be installed in mid-August to greet visitors to the busy commercial area in west Coquitlam.
Maillardville’s historic clock tower, gateway arch and plaza are also getting a refresh. The tower will be getting a new roof and lighting in October, and updates to the arch and plaza are expected to take place in late 2023, subject to available resources.
This year’s streetscape program also includes new bike racks, including 15 new standard racks added to existing racks in the City Centre area, and a set of decorative racks near the Burquitlam SkyTrain station.
More Enhancements to Come
A similar program is planned for 2024, including additional murals or public art in Burquitlam, Lower Lougheed and Austin Heights, as well as more lighting, architecture and street furniture with a special focus area on Pinetree fronting the City Centre library. Upcoming projects will be considered this year in consultation with the Cultural Services Advisory Committee, community partners and businesses, and will be presented to Council for approval.
The City also plans to continue to explore partnership opportunities and additional grants and funding to further offset the cost of the program.
For more information, visit coquitlam.ca/streetscapes.
Media Contact
Jonathan Helmus
Director, Utilities
City of Coquitlam
604-927-3500
epw@coquitlam.ca
BACKGROUNDER – ARTIST BIOS
1. Place des Arts Renaissance building – Jocelyn Sanchez
Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, Jocelyn Sanchez is a Latine interdisciplinary artist and illustrator who creates work under the moniker of “creamy skeletons.” Jocelyn graduated in 2015 with a BFA in Visual Art and has an M.A in Animation from the University of South Wales. In the past three years she has worked with communities in the Metro Vancouver area to create murals and paintings, including working with the Vancouver Mural Festival. She has also worked with the City of Burnaby through the Deer Lake Artist Residency program to create interactive stories through digital games. Her work can be described as self-reflexive and impulsive through the techniques of automatic drawing. She is influenced by the styles of pop surrealism, the divinity of animals and latine religious folk art. Jocelyn’s work contains themes of cultural identity, magic, and memory to explore feelings of diaspora, and escapism.
2. Town Centre Park Community Centre (1207 Pinetree Way) - kʷikʷəƛ̓əm team, led by Sweewa (Joseph Kambeitz) an esteemed kʷikʷəƛ̓əm elder
About Joseph Kambeitz
Master carver, Jewelry Maker and Hand Engraver
Joseph was born in 1944 and he is a member of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation). His traditional name is Sweewa, which means small eulachon in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓.
Born into a family of artists, Joseph began his life as an artist in early childhood when a terrible accident resulted in the loss of his left arm at age 11. He learned woodcarving and crafted his first piece at age 16. In 1962, he began several years of study at the Vancouver School of Art (now Emily Carr) before spending a dozen years as a commercial artist.
Joseph is mainly self-taught and combines modern techniques with a traditional Salish style. He has carved wood and ivory, painted oils and water colour, made drums and in 1996 he taught himself to engrave copper, silver, gold and platinum jewelry. His influences include Bill Reid and Harry Sarber.
In over 60 years of carving and jewelry making, Joseph has produced pieces of various sizes, both publicly and privately commissioned, that have been exhibited and sold in galleries throughout BC. Several art pieces have been donated to support charitable fundraising efforts such as Pacific Salmon Foundation, BC Wildlife Federation and Ducks Unlimited.
Joseph is passionate about sharing his knowledge and mentoring other artists, and he enjoys working on art projects that engage the community. Joseph has been married to his wife Julia for over 54 years and has two sons, as well as one grandchild.
3. 1198 Pinetree Way (next to Spirit Square) - Raven Tacuara
Since the summer of 2018, the Raven-Tacuara collaborative artistic history has been vibrant and consistent. The collective’s public art murals can be found in the Northwest of British Columbia, and individually our artists work can be found across Canada.
Bringing influences from the traditional and contemporary indigenous styles of the Coastal First Nations, along with themes of abstraction and illustration, environment and culture, the artists create works that build a sense of place in the community.
The process of their collaborations is evolution of ideas, open to one another’s input and re-interpretation. As they approach each new wall they come together as one, to lay out colour and layers bringing a blank wall to a new statement for awareness and enjoyment. This process is the base of every project the collective brings to life.
The Raven-Tacuara collective is Facundo Gastiazoro, Amanda Hugon, Stephanie Anderson and Travis Hebert all residing in the Skeena-Bulkley Valley region of British Columbia.
Facundo Gastiazoro – Argentinian
Professional Muralist with over 20 years experience, completing works across the Northwest Coast, and in Argentina. Along side his mural work, Focundo is also proficient in Illustrations and Filming. Resides in Smithers, BC.
Amanda Hugon – Stó:lō: kʷikʷəƛ̓əm, Cheam and Michif Professional Artist, Amanda Hugon, is a long-time artist from the community of Terrace, British Columbia. She is a graduate of the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art and specializes in creating a fusion of her contemporary art style with traditional Northwest Coast Art. Resides in Terrace, BC.
Stephanie Anderson – Laksilyu (Small Frog) Wet’suwet’en Nation.
Professional Artist with over 10 years experience in Northwest Coast Art, Sculpture, and Deisgn. Current Instructor at the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art. A lifetime resident of Terrace, BC.
Travis Hebert – Cree, Métis
Musician and Mixed Media Artist. Travis is a Solo Artist and former member of Mob Bounce. He has been creating original musical works to high acclaim and has had his tracks featured in the locally produced “Monkey Beach” film. Resides in Witset, BC.
https://youtu.be/ZcaTgJjdGHI
https://youtu.be/1LsFmRpT4xo
https://youtu.be/-jjAeCMoFXI
4. 953 Brunette Ave. (Opus Art Supplies) - Lay Hoon Ho in collaboration with Angie Quintanilla Coates
Lay Hoon, better known by her moniker Arty Guava, is a Malaysian-born artist who currently resides in Vancouver, Canada. Her creative practice includes an array of mediums such as digital art, traditional painting, large-scale murals, and digital art installations.
After graduating with a degree in Bioengineering, Lay Hoon pivoted towards the creative industry to pursue her passion. She spent a decade in Singapore, where she worked with globally renowned brands like Heineken, Shiseido, and SK2, primarily in branding and packaging. In 2019, Lay Hoon migrated with her family to Canada and rekindled her artistic practice during the pandemic. Her work quickly gained popularity, and Lay Hoon began to receive commissions from notable brands such as Coach, Herschel, Society 6, Ong Shunmugam, and Frankie Magazine.
Lay Hoon draws inspiration from various sources, including her childhood in Malaysia, nature, and dance. Her designs feature vibrant flowers, celebratory poses, and animals moving freely through the wild, conveying a buoyant lust for life sprinkled with a hint of fantasy. She sees her art practice as a means to express her desire for more harmony in the world, encouraging people to live in harmony with one another, nature, the environment, and themselves.
Over the past few years, Lay Hoon's exploration of themes such as sisterhood, dance as an expression of freedom, balance, and self-care has been a continuous driving force in her creative process. Her art embodies a sense of joy and positivity that reflects her passion for life and her love for the world around her.
Angie Quintanilla (keen-tah-knee-yah) Coates is an artist originally from Monterrey, Mexico, based in Port Moody, BC. When she moved to Canada 21 years ago, Coquitlam became her first Canadian home, and will always hold a special place in her heart. Angie's art is fueled by a passion for vibrant colors and a resilient sense of optimism, drawing inspiration from her rich Mexican heritage and the breathtaking Canadian landscapes. Her commitment to sustainability drives her to incorporate eco-friendly practices into her creative process whenever possible.
In her artistic journey, Angie has created a unique style that resonates with audiences worldwide, receiving commissions from brands like Warby Parker, M&M’s, McDonalds, The United Nations, The New York Times and Dr. Martens.
Angie believes that art has the power to connect people, transcend cultural barriers, and convey universal emotions.
As a self-taught artist, she deeply appreciates the opportunity to pursue a career in art. Through her colourful pieces she invite viewers to join her in celebrating the connection between artistic expression and joy.
5. 928 Brunette Ave. (At Zara’s Hair and Beauty Salon) - Laura Kwok
Laura Kwok is an illustrator and muralist with a playful spirit and an old soul. She is captivated by the beauty of nature and her artwork is merely a small ode to the grandeur of the natural world. Her recent work focuses on capturing the ethereal life cycles of flowers and creating a visual language of botanical symbolism as a means of expression. Laura’s style is often described as bright, whimsical, and full of joy.
Her murals can be found all around the Lower Mainland, having collaborated with local businesses like Pajo’s Fish & Chips and the Steveston Sweet Shoppe, to organizations such as Tourism Richmond, TransLink, and BC Children’s Hospital. Laura hopes to continually connect with humans and strengthen communities through painting and adding colour to the world.