Donald
Teuma-Castelletti
CAMPBELL’S BAY
Aug. 26, 2017
A mural depicting Campbell’s Bay’s history has gained a new, aptly-named park to sit alongside it, when the grounds were officially inaugurated Saturday morning.
Mural Park is now open at 100 Front St., marking the end of a two-year project that’s been the efforts of a small community.
“This project [was] made possible by all of you, the community,” said Campbell’s Bay Mayor William Stewart.

Stewart acknowledged the contributions of various donations and fundraising efforts at the inauguration, including $30,000 raised from the annual summer festival, $4,700 from Tree Canada and $40,000 from the municipality.
Annick Hector, a representative from the non-profit, tree-planting organization Tree Canada, spoke at the ceremony as well. She shared that due to donations and fundraising for Canada’s 150th celebrations, Tree Canada was able to plant trees across all the provinces and territories. With the trees, plaques are generally donated by the organization, too.
“Unfortunately, Campbell’s Bay’s plaque wasn’t ready for today’s event,” said Hector, assuring the crowd that it would be coming soon.
Warden Raymond Durocher said he was proud of the work of the community on this project, and that the work of Campbell’s Bay to build this park has been unmatched in the town for the past while.
“The power of the Pontiac is the community,” said Durocher.
The completion of the park marks the end of phase one of their Downtown Parks Improvement Plan, aimed at beautifying Front Street. Once the mural had been finished and put on display, the municipality purchased the park space in order to ensure it’d remain a green space.
Last year, the municipality completed and announced the final draft of the plans for rejuvenating their riverfront.
With the mural overlooking the park, the spot has become a slice of sanctuary as it marks the end of local businesses and government offices. Depicting the town’s history, the mural shows the transition of the riverfront from a lumber yard and train station to the businesses of yesteryear, as the spot would have looked in the fifties. The park is centred around a fountain of layered rock slabs, with planter boxes both tall and short along the boundaries.
MNA André Fortin said that the mural’s various elements – from the lumber and agriculture to the river and main street – showed what is impressed upon by visitors about Campbell’s Bay. The location being right next door to his office did not go missed.
“It kind of feels like this is my backyard,” laughed Fortin, adding that it was more beautiful than his own, overgrown garden at home.