Huron County murals to be completed this summer

Murals bring colour to downtown Huron County CTV London's Scott Miller reports on the mural project that will brighten some of Huron County's small towns

With a dash of pomp and circumstance, Wingham has unveiled an outdoor mural, they hope will impact civic pride, and attract tourists to their Huron County town.

"With Highway 86 right here coming past, we’re just hoping it will help out with some foot traffic, and be a win-win for everybody," says Municipality of North Huron Reeve, Paul Heffer.

Wingham’s the second of five outdoor murals going up across Huron County. Bayfield unveiled their mural last fall. Murals in Clinton, Exeter, and Seaforth, will be completed this summer, thanks to a federal public art grant.

"We’re all just so used to seeing the same in our community. So, we’re hoping it creates a new visual point of interest. People take a drive by to see it," says Rick Sickinger, Huron County’s Economic Development Officer, in charge of the Mural project.

All five murals will be completed by local artists, hand picked by the community.

"I sat down with council and community members, and they really tossed a lot of ideas my way. So, I tried to put everything I could I knew about Wingham into a 12x28 feet," says Abigail Bos, who painted Wingham’s mural.

Work on Seaforth’s mural starts this week, Clinton’s will be installed this summer, as will Exeter’s. By mid-summer, Huron County will have a public art/outdoor mural tour available for people to follow.

"We hope lots of people of people take Instagram and social media pictures in front of it, and it becomes a fixture, and a part of Wingham’s brand. People go, I know that mural, that’s in Wingham," says Sickinger.

"It’s not just us. It’s all of Huron County. We’re trying to attract more tourism and experiences, and really get a feel for what we have in Huron County. It’s a great partnership with everyone," says North Huron’s Community Engagement Co-ordinator, and driving force behind Wingham’s mural, Denise Lockie.

Wingham’s mural is located on the front of the North Huron Wescast Community Complex, and Bayfield’s is on the side of their Arena and Community Complex, as well.