A whimsical illustrator in Okotoks transformed a graffiti and litter-strewn area in northeast Calgary into a sacred space for children.
Earlier this month, Jennifer Stables painted more than 40 animal and mythical characters along 80 feet of concrete jersey blocks in a new children’s bike park in Calgary’s Abbeydale community at the end of Memorial Drive.
“To see the space before painting it there was just garbage strewn around the place with random graffiti and spray paint,” she said. “You almost wanted to walk quickly to get past it as fast as you can. It was a real eyesore.”
The whimsical characters, ranging from a flamingo on rollerblades to a cheetah driving a police car, are using various modes of transportation to travel along a painted road.
Stables was commissioned to paint the mural through the City of Calgary’s Neighbourhood Connections project in an area that’s being dubbed Abbey Towne #yycabbeytowne.
In November, Stables led an art lesson with the Abbeydale community Brownies and invited them to brainstorm ideas for characters to paint on the mural for the new bike park, which has painted roads for young children to follow on their bicycles and scooters.
“I took pictures of all their character creations and used them to create a whimsical street scene,” said Stables. “It dedicates this space to kids.There’s something sacred about a space where children are welcome.”
Stables also enlisted help from Calgary Police Const. Chris Langham when trying to decide who would drive the vintage police car. Langham chose a cheetah.
She invited Langham and the girls to paint flowers at the bottom of the mural as their own signatures.
