New mural in Downtown Timmins helps build community

The Community Safety and Well-Being Team in Timmins invited anyone with an interest in painting to come together Friday and transform a downtown laneway with a mural.

One of the goals was to unite people and beautify an area that required some tender loving care.

"There's a lot of people that do come by this alleyway and we don't want it littered with junk and garbage," said Meagan Baranyk, community strategies coordinator for the City of Timmins.

The mural’s theme is ‘nature’ and it’s one that resonated with artists.

"Anyone could do anything that they put their mind to if they believe in it. Even if you say you can draw a stickman, you'll eventually get somewhere with it. So just don't give up," said Beau Grondin, a local artist.

"I live just a little outside of the city limits, so I've been in the forest … lately and right now it's mushroom season so, yeah, I figured that would be my focus for this," said Danielle Turgeon, also a local artist.

Another goal of the three-hour event was to get people to collaborate. Organizers said the project is about bringing people together from various backgrounds in a safe and positive way to increase community pride.

Artists gathered in a downtown Timmins laneway Friday to paint a mural depicting scenes of nature. (Lydia Chubak/CTV News Northern Ontario)

"When you see someone who is seven years old and an immigrant to Timmins painting with someone who's unsheltered, it is that commonality is that what we're looking for," said Baranyk.

Shea Lalond said she was excited to be included.

"I’ve lived here for 32 years, and I’ve never quite made my mark in a way that I would like, and this is nice and legal and it seems like a fun community project," Lalond said.

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The Tamarack Institute -- a registered charity based in Waterloo that’s dedicated to ending poverty -- sponsored the session with paint and supplies.

Organizers said the mural is a one baby step towards reducing some of the adversity happening in the city.