The basketball courts at McDonald Park will undergo an artistic facelift in late May through a partnership with the Kamloops Art Gallery and School District No. 73’s After-School Program, which will be facilitating a collaborative outdoor mural project with artist Mallory Tolcher that will provide a blast of artistic colour to the two basketball courts.
“The Kamloops Art Gallery is leading an exciting public art initiative with artist Mallory Tolcher that represents a strong number of community partnerships and is an exciting project that will distribute culture into McDonald Park, said Barb Berger, the City’s Recreation, Social Development, and Culture Manager. “The City’s Arts and Culture Engagement Group was unanimously supportive of this vibrant opportunity to celebrate art and sport, and the involvement of students from School District No. 73’s After School Program to work with a nationally recognized artist.”
Artist Mallory Tolcher has worked to develop workshops/activities for the After School Program. Arthur Hatton, Bert Edwards, Kay Bingham, and Parkcrest Elementary School students and Brock Middle School students will be contributing to the design of the courts.
“I am excited to realise Mallory Tolcher’s In the Paint basketball court mural project at McDonald Park. This project has come together through the collaborative efforts of the Kamloops Art Gallery, School District 73 and the City of Kamloops,” said Craig Willms, the Kamloops Art Gallery’s Assistant Curator. “I first came across Mallory’s artwork last year in an exhibition titled GAME/CULTURE that emphasized the relationship between art and sports in the fabric of culture and its importance in a community. Having the project here in Kamloops is a credit to how much our city punches above its weight in sports and the arts.”
“Fostering a sense of connection and belonging through the arts and sports is at the heart of School District 73 After School Programs, so naturally we were thrilled to be a part of this project. Students having the opportunity to contribute to a mural in a park near where many of our participants live and/or often visit is special,” said Kelsy Torbohm, School District No. 73’s After School Program Coordinator. “For years to come, they’ll see this beautiful mural, and get to say, ‘I was a part of that.’”
“Under the guidance of our resident After School Program artist Adriana Arzeta and other wonderful After School Program staff, these students have been curating artwork and sending their designs to Mallory over the past several weeks. Mallory has used this work to inspire her final design, and students are excited to see it come to life as they begin painting at the park next week,” added Torbohm.
Residents can expect limited access to the courts for the project’s duration from mid-May to the end of June 2023. The Kamloops Art Gallery will work with the school district to coordinate chalk-drawn areas before students arrive on site to paint specified colours for each day. Courts will be finished with regulation lines.
The goal of the project is to:
- strengthen community and inspire multigenerational play
- increase appropriate park usage by providing a fun, creative, and active space
- inspire social interaction among friends, family, neighbours, and visitors
- highlight Kamloops’ artistic and creative identity through strong images and colour
- provide a positive and safe space for individuals and organizations who use the courts for physical activity and training
- foster physical health and well-being in residents of all incomes and backgrounds within the community
- provide experiential learning for youth through the After School Program, increasing their engagement in the arts and athletics, and increasing their pride in their community
- serve as a prototype for future projects in other areas, potentially that are underserved
The project is funded by the Kamloops Art Gallery. The courts will be painted with traffic marking paint, which has a lifespan of 5–10 years.
