CBC News | Jun 11, 2021
|They’re bright, they’re beautiful and they’re helping make Calgary’s street patios just a bit safer.
That’s the mission behind the latest project undertaken by the Beltline Urban Mural Project, or BUMP, which puts on a mural festival each year in August. It has partnered with the City of Calgary’s roads department for this new initiative.
Local mural artists have been commissioned to paint large “jersey barriers” to help protect Calgary’s patios as they spill out on roadways this summer to allow for pandemic social distancing.
“I’m thrilled that BUMP was able to collaborate with various City of Calgary departments on Road Works Series to provide opportunity to artists, who have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic. The painted barriers will provide a unique blend of safety and excitement to the patios in our most concentrated commercial areas.”CBC’s Angela Knight interviewed one of the artists, high school graduate Abigail Osness, and Peter Oliver from the Beltline Neighbourhoods Association, for Friday’s Calgary Eyeopener.
“We painted over 50 murals across the city to date, and this adds another 30,” said Oliver. “We also launched as part of the Road Works Series two container parklets in partnership with the Calgary parks department.”