Heritage wall debuts in Niverville

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This article was published 21/07/2021 (999 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A community-funded wall depicting the history of Niverville three years in the making is installed on Main Street for all to see.

The $35,000 project headed by Niverville Communities in Bloom saw donations come from businesses, individuals, as well as a cheque from the provincial government’s Fall Heritage Grant Program and a contribution from the Town of Niverville.

“It was a gift to the community,” said Shirley Hoult, a volunteer for Niverville Communities in Bloom.

The Upper Fort Garry-inspired monument went up on July 1 after four months of construction. The wall is built with three types of metal, one which being Corten, a type of steel which will naturally rust giving the mural a weathered look. The rest was built from stainless steel and sheet metal.

Hoult said the desire for a low-maintenance piece of art in the community to showcase the history of the region was doable and an attractive idea for the committee and residents alike.

“We felt we could get the support we needed for it so that was part of the decision-making process,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the commitment of the residents and the businesses that gave so willingly to this project it could not have happened without them.”

The choice paid off as 23 businesses and 19 individuals contributed to the construction, as well as local businesses aiding in the design and execution of the idea; Excel Graphics put the idea on paper and Fusion Industries built the 64-foot wall which now resides on Main Street.

The panels include history as presented through an Indigenous lens at the beginning of the wall’s tale, leading into settlers of the East Reserve landing in the area before industrialization and then eventually looking to the future of the town. Hoult said interpretive signs will be added to assist in filling gaps in the visual aspect of the wall.

While the three-year project has finally come to fruition, Communities in Bloom is far from being done their work. With the help of Niverville High School students they plan to install fused glass panels to the heritage pavilion located in the Niverville Heritage Centre Gardens.