MOOSE JAW — A mural that honours the contributions that Chinese people have made to Moose Jaw during the past century will soon have a new home after sitting in storage for several years.
The public art committee (PAC) met in mid-September and discussed strategies to relocate the artwork before the end of the year, with group chairwoman Jennifer McRorie to reconnect with the Moose Jaw Chinese Community Network to discuss the mural and determine its redesign and relocation, the group’s meeting minute showed.
McRorie had been in contact since April with Kelvin Hu, the network’s president, and learned that the group’s board thought the mural could be relocated to either the west wall of Gina Jewelry — its original location — or the north wall of Jade Garden Restaurant. Moreover, members wanted the city to revise the six Chinese characters since they did not make sense.
A month after that communication, Hu emailed McRorie and said the board wanted the city to install the mural on the Jade Garden building, but also wanted officials to create a contract for the business owner to sign, the minutes said. He also reiterated the network’s desire to update the artwork’s language characters.
“We have a Chinese artist who can do the change if it is possible,” Hu added.
During its September meeting, the public art committee passed a recommendation urging city council to approve the relocation of the Chinese mural to the north wall of Jade Garden Restaurant at 471 Main Street North. It also recommended that city administration draft an installation and maintenance agreement for the artwork and that the mayor and city clerk sign it for the city.
Council received the recommendation during its Sept. 23 regular meeting and unanimously approved the motion.
Bison sculpture
Tourism Moose Jaw (TMJ) held a contest this summer that asked residents to name the 450-pound steel bison sculpture that artists Bill and Laurette Keen created in 2023 and that the city installed that July.
After acquiring over 80 suggestions — entries were $2 each, with money going to the Humane Society — the organization and the Keens narrowed the entries to four. They then brought the selections to PAC, and all three groups chose Elaine Gill’s suggestion of Blaze; she will receive an honourable mention in the Visitors’ Centre and a free family trolley pass.
“… the name Blaze was chosen because our bison stands in the blaze of the sun under endless prairie skies,” Tourism Moose Jaw wrote on its Facebook page. “The same sun that warmed the herds of bison that once roamed this land now shines on him!”
During its September meeting, the public art committee — in collaboration with the Keens and TMJ — agreed to officially name the bison sculpture Blaze.
The metal behemoth now joins the legendary Mac the Moose in welcoming people to Moose Jaw.
RCAF anniversary
Committee members also learned during their mid-September meeting that TMJ would not be able to install a Royal Canadian Air Force-themed public art installation as planned, the minutes said. The organization wanted to create something that could be installed near the Tutor jet at the Visitors’ Centre.
However, the group heard that artist Karen Watson was working to complete a project through the Crescent Park Tree Art Project that would honour the RCAF’s centennial.
Based on this information, the committee agreed to contribute $1,000 — from the initial $3,000 it allocated to RCAF-themed public art installations — to Watson’s project and release the remaining $2,000.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Oct. 7.
