The Sovereign Lake mural was completed in 2005.
This painting is our first and only winter mural. This mural is a tribute to the development and success of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club.
The man on the left hand side of the mural, leaning against the log cabin, is Carl Wylie - one of Silver Star’s earliest pioneers. In 1938, Wylie organized the Nordic Club. The skiers would hike in and spend four hours doing short runs, on a hill barely 1000 foot long.
In 1939 the City of Vernon donated a log cabin to the cross country ski club, which was located on Vernon Lake. Vernon Lake was later renamed Sovereign Lake, after Art Sovereign who was a well-known local bishop and pediatrician, as well as an avid skier and Flight Lt. during the war, who is also featured on the World Wars mural.
Since its conception in 1938, the Sovereign Lake Ski Area has been in a constant state of growth. In 2005, the FIS (Federation International de Ski; International Ski Federation) World Cup Cross Country Skiing Championship was held at Sovereign Lake. This was the first time in 10 years that the World Cup was held in Canada.
The mural is not only a tribute to the success of the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club, but to the mural project itself. This mural was constructed and painted by 2 former students of Michelle Loughery’s: Steven Stoka and Tyler Toews, who participated earlier in the Vernon Mural Project in 2000. They were commissioned to paint this mural under their newly formed company “Canadian Murals.”
All the murals are well done paying tribute to the artist's talent and creativity for any passersby to enjoy.
The murals are numbered and we will showcase
#5 - Sovereign Lake
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