What began as a vision of ACL-BB’s Directors, Board and Management soon turned into a collaboration with mural artist, Annie Bergen and her assistant MaRa. Before we knew it a blank exterior wall at 917 Park Avenue soon had a blueprint reflecting our agency’s value statements and sense of community.
In January of 2025, Annie was contacted about her availability and interest in helping with this project. Tom Ethans from Take Pride Winnipeg was contacted about the potential for a grant to help with the cost of this project. Turns out Tom & Annie worked together on many murals.
The process
In March, Annie provided a rough estimate of the cost of this large scale mural and Take Pride Winnipeg confirmed a $2,000 grant.
In July the first splash of paint was put on the wall as a promise of things to come. Annie and her assistant Randa began the stencilling. Many of our participants volunteered their time to help paint. Several staff helped in getting the wall and area ready.
August 13th, 2025 was the official last day of touch ups. The mural was completed!
What it represents
This beautiful mural starts with a field of sunflowers, followed by a rainbow with the words of ACL’s value statements. Beside that, two hands reflect unity. You can see an aged hand of a wise person in the hand of someone younger with strands of wheat reflecting abundance & prosperity. Next is a tree arbor incorporating drain pipes on the wall. Right next to that is a view of a lake with a medicine wheel symbolizing Indigenous cultures encompassing one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. One then sees bedrock and forest as daylight dims. An Indigenous lady is holding a smudge bowl as nighttime falls and stars are in the sky.
The purpose of this mural is to reflect a sense of community. The field of sunflowers and strands of wheat represent the fact that we are a farming community. The young person’s hand in the hand of an aged person reflects the passing of wisdom from one generation to the next.
We are on Treaty 1 land and wanted to incorporate aspects of Indigenous culture with the medicine wheel and an Indigenous woman holding a smudge bowl with some words from the 7 Teachings. We are also the gateway to cottage country, hence the scene of a lake, bedrock and coniferous trees.
We are very happy with this mural and have received a lot of positive feedback from members of the community.
A big thank you to everyone who made this possible!
