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Painted in 1986, by Mike Svob, B.A., A.F.C.A.,
Coquitlam, B.C.
6.15M X 13.85M (20’ X 45’), MAPLE STREET
Mill Street In 1948
The Artist
Mike Svob moved to British Columbia from Welland, Ontario after graduating from the University of Western Ontario and gaining experience in the business world. Art was what everyone told him not to do.
His rendering of Mill Street in 1948 is an impressionistic wave of transparent colour which washes gently over the eye of the viewer much like his watercolours. He is a self-taught painter, who has gained recognition and now exhibits with other well-known members of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Svob has won numerous awards including first prize at the F.C.A. ‘85 Workshop and the Purchase Award at the 46th Northwest Watercolour Society Show.
The Art
The first building on the left of old Mill Street was used as a Post Office until 1927. That year, street lights made their first appearance in Chemainus, with power provided by the V.L. & M. Company. Beyond the Post Office, towards the water, stood the sawmill superintendant’s office.
The company store closed its doors in September 1949, after 65 years of service. When the building was demolished a year later, wreckers discovered that the frame was made of clear lumber, with some pieces over 40 feet long without a knot or defect of any kind! Several boxes containing cast steel ox shoes, bearing the date 1885 were found under the floor.
Also depicted in the mural is a time clock shelter to the right of the employee parking area. Gordon Wharf and the government wharf recede into the background of Chemainus Harbour.
The Little Town That Did!
“Obviously, Chemainus, B.C., no matter how small it is, has things like imagination and foresight
and a willingness on the part of its residents and community leaders to get behind daring
and adventurous initiatives.”
Author and historian, Pierre Berton
From just five murals and lots of spirit in the summer of 1982, Chemainus has struggled, grown and succeeded in literally putting itself on the map. In 1983, it won the prestigious New York Downtown Revitalization Award for its redevelopment of the town core. It has since gained world-wide acclaim for the integrity and superb artistry of its huge depictions of the town’s history.
Forty larger-than-life historic paintings in this open air gallery now greet the gaze of thousands of visitors each year. Chemainus thrives as a result, but it remains a small town, with just over 4,500 residents. These welcoming people still dish out island hospitality, along with ice cream and afternoon tea and scones just as they always have. Chemainus really is “The Little Town That Did”©.
The coastal community of Chemainus has a rich and varied history. Beginning thousands of years ago with the Coast Salish Native people, that history has flourished through a century and a half of industry and labour. With a mild climate and a great abundance of natural resources, the surrounding area became home to many hardworking settlers. Side by side, these people hewed a town of substance from the majestic forests.
These same forests have provided the lifeblood of the entire valley for more than a century, but to Chemainus, this has sometimes been a painful reality.
In 1981 the town of Chemainus benefited from a province wide redevelopment fund, and initiated a downtown revitalization project to give a face lift to a tired-looking main street. Planters overflowing with fresh flowers, new benches, improved public spaces and better parking facilities, all resulted from this initial project. Suddenly though, the town faced much graver problems than a lack of fresh paint along its thoroughfares. After more than 120 years the mill shut down in 1983.
Without waiting to hear if the mill would reopen, residents rallied to hold on to the roots they had established here. They continued the beautification of the central core. But more was to come. With the remarkable energy and creative vision of resident and businessman Karl Schutz, and the committed support of the then mayor Graham Bruce and the municipal council, the Festival of Murals Society was born. The painting of murals on some of the outside walls of local buildings was the Municipality of North Cowichan’s colourful investment in a livelier looking village.
Those early years of redevelopment now seem a part of history, too. More than a quarter of a million dollars has been invested in the mural project by private, corporate, federal, provincial and municipal investors. As a direct result, Chemainus has attracted in excess of one hundred new businesses, 350-450,000 visitors a year and a $3.5 million dinner theatre. From a dependence on a single industry, it has broadened its economic base to offer a range of service and tourist related activities. To everyone’s relief, the mill was rebuilt and modernized, and reopened in 1985. By that time, residents and visitors alike felt that they had proven they could survive the worst of times through their spirit and determination.
The town now has a new look. It is one that is reminiscent of past glories, and the result is a pleasing mixture of Victorian and frontier design, with a real down home feel. Chemainus welcomes you to a feast for all the senses. Come and taste the magic! You’ll never experience history quite like this again.