The mural was originally set to be in the Melfort Historic Post Office, but now could go in a more prominent spot in Melfort.(file photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Mat Barrett

Melfort Historic Post Office

Mural set for Historic Post Office could see new home

Sep 10, 2019 | 10:36 AM

A mural that was originally slated to go in the Historic Post Office in Melfort may be seen in a different spot.

At the City of Melfort’s Regular Council Meeting, discussion was started about the Public Art Policy, as well as the mural that was required with the grant toward the window rehabilitation project at the post office. With that also came a donor recognition wall that was originally set to be engraved post office boxes, but that now could also change.

The mural is already completed but when members of the Preservation and Rehabilitaion Committee (PARC) saw the large piece of art, they felt the Post Office may not be the right spot.

“They thought it was probably a great addition to the city,” Mayor Rick Lang said. “But not well-suited to the old post office because they felt that it wouldn’t get the proper viewing in there.”

The committee has discussed one possible spot for the mural, including the south end of Main Street in front of the train tracks.

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“We feel that it’s a great asset to the city,” Lang said. “So we’re going to use it somehow in the city as a centerpiece.”

If Council elects to go with the idea to relocate the art piece to the end of Main Street, an alternative piece would be needed for the donor wall itself.

Council will put the art relocation into its 2020 budget talks, meaning the mural likely won’t have a new home chosen until winter, and according to Lang, it won’t be seen in its permanent home until spring 2020.

Lang added the mural discussion sort of goes hand in hand with the Public Art Policy. He said they are in talks with local artists and art groups to create a plan that would outline where public art would or could be installed, whose responsibility is it, how it is cared for, and how it would be removed if need be.

“We’re going to get some information from them and develop the policy,” Lang said. “But in conjunction with that, we are going to do something that is more suitable for this piece of artwork and we are going to do something that will more readily highlight the donors on a donor wall.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6