Sechelt council plans to set aside $35,000 to celebrate the district’s 30th anniversary on June 30, and it looks like $10,000 of that budget will be spent on a commemorative art project.
During the Feb. 24 public works, parks and environment committee meeting, councillors recommended spending the $10,000 on a public mural to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Sechelt becoming a district.
The mural would be created on at least three walls of the public washroom building located beside Friendship Park and the beach volleyball courts at 5482 Wharf Ave.
The $10,000 is meant to cover all costs associated with the project, including advertising the call for artists, site preparation, artist fees and materials.
If approved by council at a regular council meeting, a call for expressions of interest will be sent out this month.
The mural will have to reflect Sechelt’s history, cultural and natural environment, and applications that involve multiple artists, youth or volunteers will be encouraged, according to a report by Siobhan Smith, arts, culture and communications coordinator for the district.
In addition to the mural, councillors will plan public events to celebrate the district’s anniversary. Discussions on those events have not taken place yet.
Sechelt was a village of about 1,200 people back in the mid-1980s. At the time there was a movement to stretch Sechelt’s borders to the boundaries of Roberts Creek and Halfmoon Bay, recalls Coun. Mike Shanks, who was a member of the first District of Sechelt council formed in 1986.
“It was put to a vote, a referendum in terms of the amalgamation itself, and it passed with a very, very narrow majority – like 50.5 or 51 per cent,” Shanks said.
“It was what was going to be the combined area that got to vote, but they weren’t separate votes, so whatever the outcome was it was based on everyone in those areas voting.”
On June 30, 1986, Sechelt officially became a district.
Now, almost 30 years later, the District of Sechelt has a population of nearly 10,000 and a council of seven to govern it.
Shanks is a member of the current council (he’s served almost 21 years on Sechelt council to date) and he said he’s seen many changes over the years – the creation of the Sechelt golf course with Crown land gifted to the district, the building of a controversial library/municipal hall project and the swelling of Sechelt’s staff from less than five to nearly 60 staff members currently.
Some of those changes may be highlighted during the 30th anniversary celebrations, yet to be worked out.
The Sechelt Indian Band will also celebrate 30 years of self-government this October, according to communications coordinator Michael Morgan, but no details of that celebration have been decided yet either.
