During July, artists have been hard at work transforming temporary sidewalk spaces into public artwork in downtown Peterborough. Four road murals at four different locations along a section of Hunter Street have been completed.
Now in its second year, Renaissance on Hunter is a public art initiative coordinated through the City of Peterborough public art program in partnership with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) and Peterborough GreenUP.
In the spring, the city invited local artists to submit proposals for two distinct but related public art projects: The Road Mural Project and The Artists’ Garden Project. Collectively named Renaissance on Hunter, the projects are installed on four sites on Hunter Street between George and Aylmer streets.
Sites 1 and 2 are located on either side of the entrance to the parking garage on the south side of Hunter, and sites 3 and 4 are located on either side of the entrance to the Chambers Street parking lot.
Site 1 features the mural “Odoonabii” by Aaron Robitaille and the gardens “Urban Farm” by GreenUP.
Site 2 features the mural “Glacial Formation” by Josh Morley and the gardens “Dog Park” by Krista Ouellette.
Site 3 features the mural “Flight of the Pollinators” by Brooklin Holbrough and the gardens “Avian Dreams” by Cathy Ogrodnik.
Site 4 features the mural “Nothing Out of Reach” by Nuin-Tara Morin (Stardaughterwoman) and the gardens “Three Sisters Garden” by the DBIA.
The four sites are located in the temporary sidewalk spaces created by temporary changes to the downtown intended to create more pedestrian and patio spaces for the patio season. Hunter Street between George and Aylmer streets has temporarily become a one-lane, one-way street westbound to create additional patio and pedestrian spaces.
In other parts of the downtown, participating businesses create additional patio space by using the on-street parking area that is adjacent to their business. In partnership with the city, the DBIA maintains the plants in planter boxes placed alongside decorative fencing for the new patio and pedestrian spaces.
Along with the road murals, artists have installed creative gardens in the planter boxes.
For more information about the City of Peterborough’s Public Art Program, visit peterborough.ca/publicart.
