|
|
|
Popular Macleod mural has
severe water damage |
FRANK MCTIGHE
MACLEOD GAZETTE EDITOR |
Col. James Macleod is
almost history.
The image of the man who in 1874 led the North West Mounted Police
to this part of the country to establish law and order has
almost disappeared from the popular Fort Macleod mural.
“It is quite serious,” Mayor Shawn Patience said of damage to the
mural painted in 1992. “It is a very big task to fix it. It
looks only half as bad as it is.”
The damage was caused by water coming from inside of the wall of
the Fort Macleod and District Sports Centre on which the mural
is painted. The portion of the mural containing the image of
Col. Macleod and his horse has sustained the most obvious
damage, but the problem is more wide-spread.
“More paint than has already fallen off has separated from the
cement blocks,” Patience said. “I’ve got to believe it’s going
to be around 2,000 sq. ft. by the time we get it done.”
The Town of Fort Macleod this past winter contracted repairs to the
sports centre roof, and has budgeted to fix the mural this
spring.
“We had to wait until the roof was done or the repairs to the mural
could be in the same jeopardy as it is now,” Patience said.
The repairs will involve scraping all the damaged paint from the
wall, putting on new primer, and then repainting the mural from
old photographs.
“It’s going to be a big challenge,” Patience said. “Col. Macleod
and his horse, by the time we get the wall scraped, there may be
nothing left of them.”
The last major restoration was done five or six years ago when
about 50 sq. ft. had to be repaired.
“We fixed up a few small pieces over the years,” Patience added.
The mural, which depicts the first 100 years of Fort Macleod’s
history, holds a special place in the heart of the Fort Macleod
mayor, who did the original design.
The mural, which at 14 feet by 150 feet is the largest in western
Canada, was done to mark the 100th anniversary of Fort Macleod’s
incorporation as a town and as a fund-raiser for the 1992
Southern Alberta Summer Games.
“It certainly left a legacy,” Patience said of the mural project.
Patience may contact artist Dave Moore, who painted the mural,
to assist with the restoration.
If the weather co-operates restoration will begin in time to have
the mural restored for the 2008 tourist season.
“That would be ideal, although the repainting itself would be quite
a tourist attraction,” said Patience, recalling the crowds of
curious onlookers who turned out to watch the mural being
painted in 1992. |
 |
|
The image of Col. James Macleod and his horse
is disappearing from the Fort Macleod mural on
the sports centre wall. The Town of Fort
Macleod plans to restore the mural in time for
the 2008 tourist season. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
HEADLINES |
|
Good Food Box popular Residents
of Fort Macleod and Brocket are digging into the Good
Food Box. Volunteers on Thursday packed fresh fruit and
vegetables into a record 107 boxes at Fort Macleod
Health Centre... |
|
Jason Day armed for his UFC debut
Fort Macleod’s Jason Day will be part of Ultimate
Fighting Championship history... |
|
Province gets nine police college
proposals
The province is reviewing nine proposals to fund the
$110-million police college in Fort Macleod... |
|
|
|
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE |
|
|
|
